A father figure
by Sophie Capulet
Summary: Modern AU : Eponine lost everything that meant something to her, until she found her little brother again, shut away in an orphanage in the rough area of Paris. Being too young to give him a home, she is shocked when young lawyer Courfeyrac makes her an offer. He will raise Gavroche. What will happen as he becomes an unlikely father figure to this lonely and dependent little boy?
1. An incredible offer

**Hello everyone. Here I am again, with another new story for you all. Of course it is Courfeyrac and Gavroche again, but this time in a modern au setting! I shuffled the ages around a bit to make Gavroche younger but that's all I have changed in the characters. **

**As to how this story works, the normal text is in present text whilst everything in italics is flashbacks. **

**Please enjoy**

Courfeyrac had always thought that he had everything that he needed. He had his friends, his apartment, his job as a trainee lawyer and his money which allowed him to have whatever he wanted. With this money, as a young adult at the age of twenty-two, he didn't know the feeling having to depend on anyone nor had he ever experienced the feeling of having somebody who depended on him. Until this moment in his life, that is. Upon this moment, Courfeyrac changed from the young man who lived through each day without a care to a man who was a much needed guardian to a lonely and dependant little boy.

There was no going back now; he couldn't say to her that he didn't want to do it anymore. He had made a promise that he could not go back on no matter how afraid of failing he was. Having grown up as an only child, he didn't understand the love between siblings but he could see it when he watched her with him. He could see that there was an uncontrollable urge for the older sibling to protect the younger ones. That was a well-known fact to him. He had never had the chance to experience this devotion to a sibling for himself but he had to admit that he had felt something stir in his heart when he had first seen the little boy, tucked away in a little corner of the orphanage's garden, hiding away as if fearing he would get hurt.

As he approached his apartment, Courfeyrac smiled to himself unable to believe that he had offered his services to this extent. When he saw her, saw Eponine Thenardiar, sitting with her head in her hands and her shoulders heaving with her sobs, he knew that he would do anything in her power to make it alright even become the guardian, the father figure for her tiny four year old brother.

_Eponine bit down on her lip as she cried, so wrapped up in her thoughts that she did not notice the door of the cafés back room open behind her to reveal Courfeyrac, Grantaire, Combeferre and Enjolras. She ducked down to rest her head on the table as if trying to hide herself from the four young men. Throughout her seventeen years she had made to believe that she was not good enough to be seen alongside these wealthy students with their high career prospects and fine clothing. She was poor, from a house down in the slum areas of Paris where violence and crime were common. They were from the wealthy part of the city where everything was perfect. She had met them through Marius Pontmercy, who as a young politics student believed that everyone should be equal no matter where they came from or what their parents were like. _

"_Eponine, what's wrong?" Courfeyrac asked moving to sit across from her at the table. _

"_Yes, what is it?" Combeferre said softly sitting beside her and putting an arm around her shoulders. _

_Eponine sighed, amazed at the fact that these young man were so kind to her. She was not like them. They had perfect parents who loved them and didn't use them as personal slaves in their criminal ways. She didn't know whether they had siblings or not, but she was sure that if they did they would be as perfect as their older brothers. She had two siblings, well she did have. Azelma had been fourteen years old two winters ago when she had fallen ill. Her parents who were cruel and cold hearted people who cared only for their own personal gain didn't take her to a hospital as they couldn't pay the bills, it was like they did not care for their child who was growing weaker by the day. Azelma did not survive that winter. Her other sibling was a little boy, Gavroche. In order to pay for Azelma's funeral, Eponine's parents decided that they needed to rid themselves of another mouth to feed. Eponine was useful to them, able to steal and con, but Gavroche who had been no matter than two years old at the time was a nuisance to them. Eponine didn't know what was happening but she had sobbed that night when she was locked in her bedroom whilst her father left the house with the toddler in his arms. The next morning, little Gavroche with his cherubic face and golden curls was nowhere to be seen. _

_Wiping her eyes, Eponine looked up at Courfeyrac and sniffled. "You remember I told you about me brother, Gavroche, how my father took him away and I never saw him again" She cried _

_He nodded. "Of course I remember" He said softly holding her hand. _

"_I finally found some information on children in the orphanages, before I could only find information on the good proper ones in the centre of the city but there's this one, 'Maison pour les enfants perdus' in the slums." She said looking down "He's there, now four years old, Gavroche, surname unknown." _

"_You found him, oh Eponine that's great. You can go get him, can't you?" Combeferre smiled. _

_She broke into fresh sobs "No! No I can't, I can't take him home, it's not safe, and my parents hate him. They gave him away!" She cried. "And… You have to be twenty-one to foster, I'm too young, and by the time I'm old enough, it could be too late for him, this place is horrid. It's a slum house" _

"_How did they get permission to make a slum house an orphanage, that cannot be safe" Enjolras sighed sitting at the head of the table. He was the leader of their group. The young men met there to discuss their strong political views and their willingness to fight for equality for all. "And they won't let you have him, even though you are his sister?" _

"_I don't think it's legal" Eponine sighed wiping her eyes on the sleeves of her tattered leather jacket and peering at her phone. "And I can't tell them I'm his sister; they know that he must be from a bad home if he is there in the first place!" _

"_Calm down Eponine, we will think of something" Combeferre sighed "We will get Gavroche here for you, he will be safe"_

"_How? He is four years old, he's a baby, and I am nineteen, they will never let me have him, and I would not have anywhere to keep him safe" Eponine said running her hands through her tangled brown hair in frustration. _

"_Yeah, it's not like one of us could go get a little kid, that would just be stupid" Grantaire said swaying back on his chair with a can of beer in his hand. _

_Courfeyrac leaned against the table, his eyebrows knotted in thought. He had this big apartment, with this money to spare. He didn't care for grandeur and finery, he would rather use what he had to aid someone who needed it more than he did. He may have been an only child but he could remember his parents telling him he was a natural when it came to caring for children whenever his young cousins were staying with them. He smiled at the thought and leaned across to Eponine. "I'll do it" He smiled. _

"_What?" Eponine stared at him blankly, almost dropping her phone in shock. "What do you mean?" _

"_I mean, if you would want me too, and if you think I could get Gavroche to trust me enough, I will go to this orphanage and get Gavroche. I'm finished with my studies and I fit my training around my schedule. You could see him during the day and he could stay with me at night. I have a spare room" he said. He didn't believe the words as they poured from his mouth, his offering to take in a little boy who had been through too much in his short life, but he wanted to do it. He always believed that every child should have the opportunity to have what he had growing up if he had the chance to give that to Eponine's little brother, giving him a better life and giving her comfort and peace of mind, he would. _

_Eponine gaped at him, her brown eyes wide with surprise at the offer he was giving. She had never experienced such kindness. Her own parents had thrown the child away as if he was the dirt under their feet and know Courfeyrac was offering to give up a part of his home, his time and his money to care for Gavroche, a child he did not even know. "You… You would do that, oh Courf" She breathed leaning across the table and taking his hands. "I can believe you are offering to do this" _

"_I want too, for Gavroche and for you" He smiled. "I might as well use my time and income to do good, and my parents did always tell me that I was a natural with kids". _

As he stood now, slowly opening the door to his apartment, Courfeyrac smiled feeling the small body in his arms shift closer to his chest with the little head of blonde curls nestled against his shoulder. "Hey Gavroche, do you want to see your new room before you fall asleep. I got you some things" He said softly.

The little boy looked up at him and wiped his tired eyes before nodding. "You got me stuff? No one got me stuff before, 'cept for 'Ponine" He smiled.

Courfeyrac smiled setting the boy down and pushing the door open. "This is home now 'Roche, we can visit Eponine during the day and you can stay here at night"

"Forever, you won't give me away will you?" Gavroche said looking up at the dark haired young man.

"Of course I won't, you're like my little brother now and we live here together" He smiled "Now, come on sleepy head, let's go see your room". He took Gavroche's tiny hand and led him through the apartment to what would now be his bedroom. His name was written on the door in blue lettering with little drawings of cartoon planes and trains weaving their way through the letters, the whole picture a gift from Fueilly. Inside the room was painted a pale blue. A bed stood in the centre of the room with white sheets with colourful cartoon trains on, a large brown teddy sitting on the pillow. A wardrobe and a chest of drawers stood against the wall and a carpet reached across the floor, soft enough for him to sit and play on. A toy box sat under the large window and a number of other toys scattered the floor. On the bedside cabinet was a photograph of him and Eponine that Courfeyrac had taken on the day he first spent with Gavroche. Having been given the boy to spend the day with so that they could bond, he had taken him to the café to be reunited with his sister.

Gavroche stared at him and then looked around the room, picking up a toy plane. "This all mine? No sharing" He asked. "All for me?"

"All for you, that's why I brought it you silly boy" Courfeyrac smiled kneeling down to his height. "Do you like it?"

He nodded, yawning and stepping forwards to wrap his arms around Courfeyrac's neck. "Love it all Courf, tankyou" He said in his adorable lisp.

"You're welcome 'Roche" Courfeyrac smiled kissing his head and picking him up carefully. "Now bedtime little man, we can have a look at all of your toys in the morning, yeah?"

"Yes pwease" Gavroche smiled allowing Courfeyrac to carry him to the bed and lay him down. The little boy had never had anyone to really trust in his life, he couldn't really remember his parents but he knew that they didn't want him and he couldn't remember Azelma. The only person he knew that he could trust was Eponine. And now Courfeyrac. He had taken an instant liking to the young man with his kind eyes and cheeky smile. "I like it here"

"That's good, I'm glad" Courfeyrac smiled tucking him in and passing him the teddy bear. "Now, get some sleep. Tomorrow we can get Eponine to come round and she can play with all these new toys with us"

Gavroche smiled curling around the teddy bear and closing his eyes. He could get used to this new life.

**Translations – '**Maison pour les enfants perdus'_ – _House of the lost children

**I hope you all liked this. It was something different for me, but it was something that I really enjoyed writing. **

**Please review and let me know whether you liked this and want me to update it or not **


	2. Together again

**Thank you for the amazing response that the first chapter had! It was amazing! **

**This chapter works in the same way that the last chapter did, with the normal text being in the present and the italics being flashbacks**

**I hope you all like this, more Gavroche fluff!**

Courfeyrac, who had always been a light sleeper, awoke to the sound of tiny footsteps padding down the hall followed by an equally tiny voice "Courf?" With a smile, he pushed himself up out of bed and checked the time on his phone. 7 Am. As he pulled on a button down shirt and a pair of jeans, the bedroom door opened to reveal a sleepy eyed Gavroche, his blonde curls wild around his face. "I found you" He smiled walking to the young man and lifting his arms up in a gesture that meant that he wanted to be lifted. "'Thought you were hidin'"

"Indeed you did find me kiddo" Courfeyrac smiled, picking the little boy up and holding him on his hip. "And no, I wasn't hiding, I was sleeping. You woke me up with all your walking around. Were you having an adventure?" He smiled as Gavroche nodded and carried him to the kitchen to get him breakfast, bouncing him as they walked and laughing when the child broke into giggles at the movement. For a child who had been through so many rough times, from being given away by his parents to being kept in a filthy slum orphanage, Gavroche was such a joyful little boy with the cheekiest smile Courfeyrac had ever seen. "Right, breakfast" He smiled sitting him down. "Cornflakes?"

"Yes" Gavroche smiled "Courf? You have some too?"

Courfeyrac nodded "We can both have some" he smiled checking his phone as it buzzed to reveal a number of messages from Eponine. 'Is Gavroche alright? Did he sleep okay? Is he settled?' He chuckled sitting beside Gavroche and giving him his cereal. "There we are little man"

"Tank you" Gavroche smiled stuffing a mouthful of cornflakes into his mouth. "What were you laughin' at on your phone?"

"Messages from that sister of yours" Courfeyrac smiled "Asking lots of questions about you. She wants to know that you are happy here"

"I am! I am happy" Gavroche said showing Courfeyrac a big cheesy grin with one of his front teeth missing "Look big happy smile!"

Courfeyrac laughed ruffling the boys hair "Here 'Roche, smile big and cheesy again, we'll send Eponine a picture". He snapped a photograph of Gavroche with his big smile on his phone and showed it to him, chuckling when he laughed.

"That's funny Courf! Take 'nother one, with you it in too" He smiled cheekily "For 'Ponine"

"Oh, you want me in the picture too? Alright, a picture with silly smiles?" Courfeyrac smiled lifting the little boy onto his lap and positioning his phone so that they could both be seen by the camera. "Ready? Big cheesy smiles?" The little boy grinned, laughing when Courfeyrac matched his expression. Taking the photograph, he showed it to Gavroche "You want me to send this one to Eponine?"

"Yes" Gavroche giggled, putting his empty cereal bowl on the table. "She'll like it because it's funny Courf"

Courfeyrac smiled and nodded, running a gentle hand through Gavroche's hair as the boy laid with his head on his lap. He relaxed feeling the slight weight of him lying there and smiled sending a text message to Eponine with the photograph attached.

'All smiles here this morning!' he wrote 'It's been great, you want to visit? Doors open. Ps: 'Roche wanted to that picture of me and him instead of the one of just him, he said you would find it funny'

When Eponine received the message, she did laugh at the image amazed to see her little brother looking so happy. "Tell him I love it' she text back 'I'll treasure it forever, and I'd love to visit, I'll be there soon. I've missed my little 'Roche"

_They called it a bonding day, trying to sound official even though he still wasn't convinced that the orphanage was legal. It was simply a day where Courfeyrac could take Gavroche out for the day to get to know him before he officially became his guardian. The orphanage probably saw it as a day where they did not have to feed him themselves. Courfeyrac was excited to spend the day with Gavroche as the two of them had instantly hit it off. He also wanted to surprise Eponine by taking the little boy to the café to see her; after all, it had been 2 years since she had last seen him. _

_When Eponine arrived at the café, assuming that there would be a meeting on this night, she was surprised to see everyone appearing relaxed. Enjolras wasn't pacing, instead sat discussing politics with Marius. Combeferre wasn't reading, but instead sat playing cards with Grantaire, who appeared less drunk than usual. "What's going on" She asked, setting her coat on the table and sitting down beside Joly and Jehan who appeared to be in the middle of an in depth discussion about literature "Where's Courfeyrac?" _

"_Now" Enjorlas said looking up at her "That is why we are waiting for the meeting to start. He text and said he was running late, the annoying idiot, said he had to pick something up on the way here" _

"_Oh, and we all know how the great Enjolras hates to be kept waiting, especially at his meetings"Eponine replied with a cheeky smile. Marius chuckled, earning an angry glare from the group's leader. As his phone buzzed, Enjolras seemed to forget about his momentary anger as he concentrated on his phone before nodding to himself and then to Grantaire. The young artist, who was rarely seen without a beet can in his hand, quickly set down his cards and stepped behind Eponine, covering her eyes _

"_What?" She stammered "'taire…what are you doing? What game is this?" With her eyes covered, Eponine was vaguely aware of the sound of the door opening and footsteps crossing the room, stopping not far from where she was sat _

"_Surprise Eponine" _

_Grantaire lifted his hands and took a step backward, revealing the scene to Eponine. Before her stood Courfeyrac, a child's size red backpack hanging lazily over his shoulder. In his arms was a little boy who she instantly recognised. It was Gavroche. He still had his wonderful blonde curls, framing his cherub like face with its tiny button nose, the blue of his large wide eyes standing out against his naturally pale complexion. "Oh my God" She breathed jumping up and rushing around the table to him. "Courf, you got him…Gavroche" _

_Courfeyrac smiled brightly and nodded "I got him for today, and then I officially take him home at the end of the week" He said moving closer to her and encouraging the little boy to move into his sister's arms _

"_Oh Gavroche, come here, you remember me don't you" She smiled. "It's me, Eponine, 'Ponine that was what you called me" _

_Gavroche nodded, pieces of his early memories coming to him. Whenever he had cried as a toddler, a girl with long brown hair and big brown eyes had always been there. 'Ponine, his big sister. He smiled reaching to her "'Ponine, 'Ponine" _

_Eponine beamed tears of happiness in her eyes. "'Roche" she smiled holding him to her chest and bringing her hand through the fair blonde curls she loved so much. "Oh I've missed you baby" _

"_Missed 'Ponine, wanted to come home for you" Gavroche murmured into her neck. _

"_I know that the orphanage wasn't nice, 'Roche, but it was better than home. Now, it's going to be much better when you are living with Courfeyrac, I promise" Eponine smiled kissing his cheek and sitting with the little boy on her lap. _

"_Courf" Gavroche smiled pointing to the young man who sat beside them, passing Gavroche his backpack. "Courf got me this bag, it got a race care on it, and this because I'm a little monkey" He enthusiastically showed her the bag and the plush toy monkey he pulled out from inside it_

_Eponine grinned holding him close and looking to Courfeyrac. "Spoiling him already Fey?" She giggled, the happiest that she had been in years._

"_Hey, the little man deserves some spoiling" He smiled, reaching across to tickle Gavroche's stomach as he played with the toy and laughing as the child squirmed and giggled. _

_Eponine laughed with them "Thank You Courfeyrac, for everything" She smiled looking him in the eye_

"_You're welcome 'Ponine, looking after them one is going to be my pleasure" He smiled "It's going to be a lot of fun" _

"It's open!" Courfeyrac called as he playfully wrestled the extremely ticklish Gavroche into some day clothes

Eponine walked in; closing the door behind her "Good morning" She smiled "Courfeyrac? Gavroche?" She only had to wait a minute before she broke into a grin as Gavroche came running to her. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans along with a red shirt with a cartoon lion on it. "Hey" She smiled reaching her arms out to him "There's my baby brother" She swept him up into her arms and peppered his chubby cheeks with tiny kisses.

"It's good to see you with a smile on your face again Eponine" Courfeyrac smiled coming into the lounge carrying Gavroche's toy box. "Smiling suits you, you've got dimples"

Blushing, Eponine put Gavroche down and sat on the couch "You're such a sweet talker" She smiled watching Gavroche run to his toy box and get out a number of toy trains and planes "What you got there then 'Roche?"

"Toys!" He laughed pushing a toy train along the floor and beaming when Courfeyrac set up a small wooden track.

"I'm glad you two are getting along so well" Eponine said looking to Courfeyrac as he helped the little boy position the trains on the track. "'Roche seems to really like you and trust you"

"He's a good kid" Courfeyrac smiled moving to sit up next to her on the couch and watching Gavroche play "A wonderful kid. He's very smart, very funny and great to have around. I haven't been bored since I brought him home. This is the perfect arrangement. He's happy and you get to see him whenever you want"

Eponine nodded in agreement, watching Gavroche play carefree. He looked up to her, smiling brightly. She smiled back, unable to believe that she had daily access to see her brother again. As he played, his eyes lit up with laughter and his blonde curls waved around his face, falling into his eyes. She smiled. "Oh Gavroche, you are so gorgeous"

"Hey! That's what people say to baby girls!" Gavroche protested looking up at her with a pout on her lips. "I'm a boy!"

"Oh I am sorry; Mister Gavroche, then I shall correct myself" Eponine laughed "You are such a handsome little man!"

**And there we go, was that cute enough for you! **

**Please review and let me know what you think! **


	3. Spots - Part one

**Here we go, Chapter 3 – and little Gavroche is poorly – What will Courfeyrac do?**

**I hope you like it **

Gavroche slowly crossed the floor of Courfeyrac's bedroom, digging his blanket behind him and carrying his monkey plush toy. In the early hours of the morning, the young man who occupied the bedroom was fast asleep. Coming to stand beside the bed, Gavroche gave a whimper of discomfort. "Courfeyrac?" He whispered. "Courf, wake up pwease, I feel sick"

Courfeyrac stirred, slowly lifting his head from his pillow. "Feel sick?" He said sleepily.

"Yes, my tummy 'urts and…and it's too hot" Gavroche whispered, absentmindedly rubbing his hand against his cheek.

With his eyebrows raised in concern, Courfeyrac sat up quickly and reached across to turn on the bedside light. "Well, that's no good is it little man?" He said. As the light turned on, he turned to see Gavroche and gasped. Gavroche's sweet little face was covered in angry red spots and he appeared feverish in appearance. "Oh 'Roche look at you"

"What? Why?" Gavroche asked looking up at him with bloodshot eyes.

With a sigh, Courfeyrac picked up the little boy and carried him to the bathroom, holding him so that he could see himself in the mirror. The child went wide eyed when he saw his reflection and whimpered looking to Courfeyrac "Courf! I have spots!" He cried

"Indeed you do, it's called chicken pox" Courfeyrac sighed kissing the boys head and feeling how hot he was. "Do the spots itch at all?"

"A little bit" Gavroche said rubbing his stomach and leaning his head on Courfeyrac's shoulder. "Tummy 'urts"

"I know little one, shh I know" Courfeyrac said softly, lifting his top to see spots on his stomach and arms also "Must you mustn't itch them, you will get scars that will never go away".

Gavroche whimpered tears in his eyes wrapping his arms around Courfeyrac's neck. "I don't like the chicken pox"

"Nobody does 'Roche, but it's alright, we can get some special cream that will make the spots stop itching and some medicine to make you feel less hot" Courfeyrac said carrying him through to the lounge and sitting him on the couch with his blanket wrapped around him tightly. "We can sit here together and watch some movies, your choice of course; do you want Eponine to come?"

"Yes, want 'Ponine" Gavroche said keeping his arms around the young man's neck as he started to cry softly. "Courf, my tummy…"

Courfeyrac sighed picking him up and holding him close as he walked to the kitchen and filled a small cup with water. It may have only been 5am but he knew that he would not be getting back to sleep now. He gently held the cup to Gavroche's lip encouraging him to drink "There we go; it's alright, little sips kiddo". Gavroche took a few sips before lying back against Courfeyrac's chest, rubbing his eyes. Keeping him close, Courfeyrac sat down on the couch with Gavroche laying against him and grabbed his phone from the table, texting Eponine. 'Hi, sorry it's so early but Gavroche has woken with the chicken pox and he wants you' he wrote.

When Eponine heard her phone buzzing beside her, she stirred and sleepily grabbed it peering at the screen. 'Oh my God, I'll be there soon Courfeyrac, my poor baby' She wrote climbing out of bed careful to avoid the squeaking floorboards as she dressed in her holey jeans, white vest shirt and leather jacket. She was used to sneaking out; she didn't care what her father did to her when she got home. She wanted to be out of there, she hated being at home. Now, knowing that her precious baby brother was poorly, she was in a hurry to get out of the house. Lifting the window up, she snuck out of her luckily ground floor bedroom and shut the window behind her. She made her way to Courfeyrac's apartment quickly knocking on the door.

Courfeyrac opened the door and smiled to her. "Hey, sorry to wake you so early" He whispered. Gavroche was still in his arms, sniffling as he nuzzled his little head against his neck with his blanket held tightly around him and his monkey hanging from one hand. "He asked for you and I couldn't say no"

Eponine gave a gentle smile. "He has you wrapped around his little finger" She said stepping inside and following him to the lounge. "How is he?"

"Feverish and clingy" Courfeyrac sighed resting back on the couch and lifting Gavroche, turning him so he faced his sister. "Chicken pox are silly aren't they little man?"

He nodded, looking at Eponine and giving a tiny smile, that cheeky light hiding under glassy sleepy eyes. "Icky" He said with a pout, his thumb finding its way into his mouth.

Eponine smiled at him, reaching across to brush curls of blonde hair behind his ears. "Poor baby 'Roche" She cooed. "It's alright, we can cuddle, have you got movies to watch. That will make you feel better". Gavroche nodded pointing to a pile of Disney and Pixar DVD's by the television as she carefully picked him up and held him on her lap.

Courfeyrac smiled watching the siblings wrap their arms around each other and little Gavroche rest his head on her chest, sucking his thumb. "I don't really know what to do with chicken pox, but I made sure he still had his blanket and that he had a lot of water" He said, somewhat nervously as he looked at Gavroche's little red cheeks stained with tear tracks

"You did good Courfeyrac, have you got medicine and rash cream?" Eponine said running her hand gently up and down Gavroche's back.

"Well, no, not yet, I need to go and get some. Will you be alright watching him for a minute, I won't be long" He replied putting on his shoes.

"Yeah, we'll be fine" Eponine smiled holding Gavroche as she set up 'Shrek' to start playing. "Won't we 'Roche?"

"Where you goin' Courf?" Gavroche asked reaching up to him. "Stay here"

Courfeyrac chuckled, shaking his head as he kneeled down to his height as he sat on Eponine's lap. "I won't be long I promise little man, I'm just going to the shop to get some medicine and some special cream that will stop all these silly spots from itching" He smiled holding his hands and rubbing his thumbs over the tiny knuckles. "Alright buddy, you stay here with Eponine and I'll be right back"

Gavroche pouted "Pwomise?" he said in a tiny voice holding up his little finger

"I promise" Courfeyrac laughed linking his little finger with Gavroche's and kissing his hand before kissing his forehead. Eponine smiled watching the exchange. When Gavroche gave a little nod and lay back against Eponine, Courfeyrac stood. "I'll be right back, before Shrek meets Donkey, that's how fast I can be" He smiled going to the door

"And you've watched this how many times Courfeyrac?" Eponine laughed watching him go. She was happy to see that Gavroche and Courfeyrac had bonded so closely, and appeared to both light up in each other's company. Wrapping her arms around Gavroche's tiny body, she smiled allowing herself to relax as she stroked his hair and rested her cheek on his forehead so that she could feel if he got any warmer.

When Courfeyrac returned he carried a bag full of fruit juice, medicine, rash cream and books. Gavroche sat up when he saw him and smiled, wiping his eyes. "Courf!" He cried to get his attention from his place in the kitchen

"Hey Little man" Courfeyrac smiled going to him and picking him up, smiling to Eponine. "I thought you would have fallen asleep by now, mr sleepy head. You need to sleep to get better" He said carrying him on his hip. "You going to take some of this medicine, it will make your tummy better"

Gavroche looked at the medicine and pouted. "That looks yuck" He said looking to the young man with a look that would have been very determined had his big blue eyes not been so bloodshot with tiredness and illness.

"It won't taste yucky, it's strawberry flavoured" Courfeyrac chuckled skilfully pouring the medicine into the measuring lid with one hand as he held the child. "A big boy would take his medicine, are you a big grown up boy or a baby?"

Eponine giggled and smiled as she watched Courfeyrac with Gavroche, trying to get him to take the medicine. He seems like such a natural, like everything he said was instinct. It made her smile just to watch them together.

"A grown up boy" Gavroche replied unwillingly letting Courfeyrac give him the medicine.

"A good boy, that's what you are" Courfeyrac smiled holding him close. "Now we need to put some of this cream on, don't we?" Gavroche nodded. Courfeyrac smiled and sat him on the kitchen counter, removing his pyjama top and checking all the spots. "Eponine, can you hold him whilst I put this on? He's ticklish so the cheeky monkey will probably squirm"

Eponine nodded, surprised that Courfeyrac appeared to know more about her little brother than she did. Sitting on the counter beside the little boy, Eponine held him on her lap as Courfeyrac began to dab the pink lotion onto the spots

"No, that cold!" Gavroche complained clinging to Eponine and trying to squirm away "Don't like it Courf!"

"I know little man, but the coldness is what makes the itch go away" Courfeyrac said "Stay still and it be all be done. Then we can finish watching Shrek and you get some sleep" Eventually, they managed to get Gavroche covered in the lotion before Courfeyrac carried him back to the couch and sat with him. "Lay down 'Roche" He instructed. Gavroche gave a little nod, lying down with his head on Courfeyrac's lap as Eponine spread his blanket over him and kissed his cheek. Courfeyrac stroked the little boy's hair until he felt him relax to sleep.

"So, Monsieur Courfeyrac, I saw you brought him books too, still spoiling him?" Eponine smiled looking up at Courfeyrac.

"Yeah, I thought he would like some books so that I could read him a bedtime story. I can't really remember the fairy tales my mum told me when I was his age" Courfeyrac smiled showing her a number of children's books with cartoon cars and trains on the covers

"He will love them. I never really got fairy tales when I was younger" Eponine replied looking through the books. "No princesses for me"

Courfeyrac nodded. "Then I'll have to remember a princess fairy tale story to tell you, every girl needs a princess story in their lives"

Eponine laughed "He's made you go soft Courf, fairy tales and cuddles and animated movies" She giggled "Do you have the mental age of a four year old?"

"Sometimes" Courfeyrac laughed "Well, he brings out the best in everyone. Maybe the best of me is a four year old trapped in an adult's body"

"Maybe" Eponine giggled looking at Gavroche. "He's the best of our family, he always was"

**And there is part one of this little plot bunny**

**Please review and let me know what you thought, I love every bit of feedback I get and take it all into consideration **


	4. Spots - Part two

**And here is the continuation…**

**Poorly little Gavroche does feature here, of course he does, but he isn't the main focus here **

**I hope you like it! **

Courfeyrac, making sure that the blanket was still tucked around little Gavroche and gently running a hand over his head of blonde curls, looked up at Eponine with a comforting smile. She may have said everything with a smile but he could see pain in her eyes. "What do you mean by that?" He asked looking at her referring to the comment she had made earlier that day, about how Gavroche was the best of her family. "Why was he the best of your family?"

With a sigh, Eponine turned to him. "He was always smiling; he would always come and give me a cuddle after dad went on a drunken rage or mum 'forgot' to make dinner one night." She said. "He was my little light at home, him and Azelma. Gavroche didn't seem to even notice when Azelma died, but I was quite glad of that. He asked where she was, but he wasn't upset."

Courfeyrac nodded placing a hand on her arm in attempt to offer her some comfort. "I'm sorry Eponine, for what happened to Azelma and what your parents did to you"

"I can handle what they do to me, it isn't that bad. I just wish they had never sent Gavroche away, or that they had sent me away with him. It was just one night, and I thought it was normal, but my papa came in and told me to go to my room. I didn't want to leave Gavroche with him, and tried to take him with me but my papa grabbed him away. That was the last time I saw Gavroche at home" Eponine said finding herself leaning against his hand, taking comfort from the touch

Courfeyrac nodded. "I'm glad you can see him now and that you are together again" He said. "I'm glad I could help in that way"

"You've done so much more than help Courfeyrac" Eponine said with a smile looking from the young man to the tiny boy sleeping with his head on his lap "Look at him, this is the happiest and most settled I have ever seen him. He was happy at home but he could feel that something was wrong there. Here, it's perfect"

"I try and make it nice for him, even if it looks like I am spoiling him. I love the way he smiles when he gets out a new toy or when I sit and watch cartoons with him" Courfeyrac smiled. "We get along; it's starting to feel like he is my little brother too"

"He adores you" Eponine smiled "And I can see that you adore him"

Courfeyrac nodded and smiled. "I wish I could have got him out sooner, so he didn't go to the orphanage"

"That can't be helped 'Fey, we didn't know where he was" Eponine said. "What you doing know is perfect"

"Courf, 'Ponine" Gavroche said in a tiny voice when he stirred, rolling onto his back and wiping his eyes.

"Hey little man" Courfeyrac smiled lifting him up to sit on his lap. "Are you feeling better?"

"No" Gavroche pouted looking at him and picking up his monkey toy "Still icky"

"I'm sorry buddy, you'll feel better soon" Courfeyrac said kissing his head "Do you want to play, or watch a movie, or I got you some books"

"Story?" Gavroche said, a little smile coming onto his lips. "'Ponine, we can hear a story"

Eponine giggled. "Yeah, Courfeyrac got you some books" She smiled. "You want a story?"

He nodded. "Yes pwease, story pwease"

Courfeyrac smiled setting the little boy on Eponine's lap and moving to pick up the books. "Trains, planes or cars?" He asked holding up the little books.

"Trains" Gavroche smiled pointing to a book with a red cartoon train on the cover "Pwease"

"Trains it is" Courfeyrac smiled sitting close next to Eponine and Gavroche and starting to read the story, putting on silly voices for each character and laughing whenever little Gavroche laughed and nodded along with the story. Eponine watched and listened, giggling at Courfeyrac's voices and overacting as well as Gavroche's reactions.

"I like the story Courf, you funny" Gavroche giggled when Courfeyrac finished the last page of the book.

"I'm glad I entertain you little man" Courfeyrac smiled. Even though Gavroche was poorly, it was good to see him smiling and laughing.

Gavroche giggled, nodding. "more story?"

"One more if you say you will lay back down and get some more sleep afterwards" Courfeyrac smiled tapping his nose playfully, careful not to touch any of the spots in case the touch made it itch again.

"Ok, I pwomise" Gavroche smiled picking up the book with the plane on the front "This one"

Courfeyrac chuckled taking the book and nodded. "Okay, let's see what this little plane is going to do on his adventure" He smiled looking at Gavroche's joyful expression at the idea of another story. He began to read, with the same silly voices and playfulness to his reading. He could feel Gavroche leaning across from his perch on Eponine's lap to lean against his shoulder as he read and quickly looked round to kiss his head. "You like books kiddo?"

"Yes I do, finish the story Courf!" Gavroche said, sleepily wiping his eyes as he smiled and looked at the brightly coloured illustrations on the books pages.

"Alright, you demanding little thing" Courfeyrac laughed, continuing the book until he was finished and Gavroche knew that the little plane was safely back on the ground.

"More story" Gavroche asked, a pleading look in his big blue eyes

"Later" Courfeyrac smiled handing Gavroche a drink and watching him take a few sips. "You're poorly so you need to rest and you promised"

With a pout, Gavroche crawled off of Eponine's lap and moved across to Courfeyrac. "Pwomise more story later?"

"I promise" He replied holding him, bringing to rest against his chest and rubbing his back gently.

"You're so good to him" Eponine whispered watching him with the little boy. She watched as Courfeyrac settled Gavroche back to sleep and laid him down gentle kissing his head before headed to the kitchen.

"He deserves it" Courfeyrac smiled as he made two cups of hot chocolate and brought one to her. "Here, my speciality"

"Thank you" Eponine smiled as she took a sip of the sweet chocolaty mixture and watched him as he sat beside her with Gavroche sleeping at the other end of the couch, clutching his monkey toy. "Fey, can I ask you something?"

"This sounds ominous, but sure" Courfeyrac smiled turning to face her as he drank his hot chocolate

"What made you want to do this?" She asked leaving her mug on the table and tucking her feet up underneath herself as she leant against the back of the couch.

"Make hot chocolate? I was thirsty?" Courfeyrac said with a chuckle, wiping cream off of his upper lip.

Eponine laughed "No, not make the hot chocolate, you silly thing" She giggled. "I mean, what made you want to do this? Foster Gavroche and raise him?"

"Oh, well that was an easy decision" Courfeyrac replied "I have this apartment, with the spare room, and the income from my internship. Why not do something good with it. I can use it to give Gavroche everything that he needs. And he make's good company"

"I wish there were more people like you, who want to use what they have to help other people" Eponine replied. "There must have been a lot of children in that horrid orphanage, with no one to care for them"

"Yeah, there was. Gavroche was the youngest one there" Courfeyrac said with a sigh "I am glad that I could get him out of there and bring him here when he can be happy. And it makes you happy, which is a wonderful extra"

Eponine, to her surprise, found herself blushing at his comment, her cheeks turning pink and her dimples on show when she smiled. "Thank you for that, he does make me happy" She said with a nervous giggle as she looked up into Courfeyrac's eyes. He laughed at her blushing, it made his eyes sparkle.

Shaking herself out of that thought, she sat up and nodded to herself, checking the time. 7pm. "I should get going, when Gavroche wakes up tell him that I'm sorry but I had to go" She said hurriedly standing up.

"Eponine, wait, no no don't go yet" Courfeyrac said moving up and taking her hand.

"Courfeyrac, what are you doing?" Eponine laughed, trying to hide her nervous feelings and playing along with the game instead.

"I promised you a princess story, didn't I?" Courfeyrac smiled. "I've given Gavroche his stories, now I can give you a story"

Eponine giggled. "You were serious about that? Do you even know any princess stories?"

"Yeah, I do" he smiled. "Now, come on"

"Fine, I'll humour you" Eponine said with a smile, allowing him to lead her back to the couch and sat down beside him.

"Alright, a princess story" Courfeyrac smiled sitting with her and leaning back, his feet on the table. "Once upon a time, there was a princess trapped in an old castle. She would sit for hours alone, just wishing that she could be out and could be exploring, seeing the world that was around her, the world that she was locked away from. She dreamed of finding everything that she loved, everything that had been taken away from her one night whilst she slept. One day when the king and the queen were away, she snuck out and met a handsome prince who took her breath away"

Eponine, oddly comforted by his tone of voice, laid her head against the back on the couch and curled up her legs as she smiled. "Continue" She said softly

"This handsome prince wanted to do anything in his power to protect the beautiful princess from the castle which she was trapped in but she was kind and honourable telling him first to find everything that she loved and to protect it in his care. He agreed wanting to see the smile on her face when he returned what she loved to her. How she smiled. The biggest smile he had ever seen. When she returned to the castle, where the king and the queen would care for anything but her, that smile disappeared. She didn't live to be at home in the castle. She lived to sneak out, to see everything that she loved, to see her prince. He lived to protect what she loved, lived to protect when he came to love as well. He lived to see his beautiful princess. To see her smile and hear her laugh. There was only one thing he wished and that was to save her."

When Courfeyrac finished speaking, he smiled at the sight before him. Eponine was curled up small in her seat, her head forward with her forehead against his shoulder, fast asleep. With a smile, he looked at Gavroche sleeping beside his sister and nodded to himself. First he carefully moved Eponine back so her head was resting against the couch pillow before moving to pick up Gavroche "Come on little man" He whispered wrapping an arm around him and holding his head to rest against his shoulder as he carefully carried the sleeping child to his bedroom and laid him down without him stirring. "There's a good boy, goodnight 'Roche" He said carefully before leaving the room.

Returning to the couch, he saw that Eponine was still sleeping. He couldn't let her sleep on the couch, whilst he had a nice and comfortable bed. With a warm smile, Courfeyrac gently lifted her petite frame into his arms, holding her to his chest as he carried her to his bedroom. He would sleep on the couch. He laid her down on the bed and carefully laid the covers over her, making sure that she was comfortable. Silently, he brushed her hair behind her ears and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead.

**Awwww, what did you think of that?**

**I hope you liked Courfeyrac's fairy tale **

**Please please review **


	5. The home you want

**Hello **

**This chapter brings in more detail about Eponine's home life as well as Gavroche's life before Courfeyrac came to his rescue (His flashback is in italics)**

**I hope you all got the references to romance in the story in the last chapter **

Eponine awoke slowly; more comfortable then she had been for years. The sheets were warm and soft and for a moment she felt as if she must still be dreaming. This couldn't be her old bed in her cold bedroom. It wasn't the shouting that she was heard to that she heard as she woke; it was instead soft laughter and kind words, a much sweeter sound. She couldn't be at home. Hearing the sound of footsteps down the hallway, she remembered the night before. Courfeyrac's soft voice as he told her the story of the princess and her castle, his smile making her feel safe and relaxed, the light in his brown eyes. She could remember allowing her head to fall forwards to rest on his shoulder as her eyes began to droop. She must have fallen asleep. This must have been Courfeyrac's bed.

"Good morning sleepy head"

She looked up to see Courfeyrac standing in the doorway, Gavroche in his arms. The little boy looked as if he had just woken up, sleepily resting his head on Courfeyrac's shoulder and smiling at his sister.

"I was just about to make some breakfast for the little man, do you want some?" Courfeyrac said with a kind smile. "And I hope you slept well"

Eponine nodded, pushing herself out of bed and walking to him, seeing that she was still dressed in the same clothes as the night before. "Courfeyrac, you should have woken me, you should have made me go home last night". She knew that she would have to face her father when she returned home. He would be furious.

"You were sleeping, I couldn't bring myself to wake you" Courfeyrac smiled walking with her to the kitchen. "If your father gives you trouble Eponine…"

"Don't worry Courfeyrac" Eponine said quickly stopping him from continuing with that sentence. She did not want to talk about that in front of Gavroche. "But I must leave now, forget breakfast"

"Stay 'Ponine" Gavroche said in a little voice, muffled by his thumb in his mouth. "It good when you 'ere"

She sighed, reaching across Courfeyrac to stroke Gavroche's hair and kiss his forehead, careful of the pox spots that still covered his sweet face. "I'm sorry baby, but I have to go" She said softly. "I'll come and see you soon". Looking across the room and trying not to make eye contact with either Courfeyrac or Gavroche, she picked up her jacket and slid it over her too thin frame. "Thank you, for last night…"

"Eponine" Courfeyrac sighed setting Gavroche on the couch and leading Eponine through to the kitchen. "Will you be in trouble with your parents for staying here last night? Be honest with me"

"Probably, but don't worry about me, I can handle it. Gavroche is still sick, worry about him for me" Eponine said with a carefree smile. "I'll be alright, and Courfeyrac, thank you for the story"

Courfeyrac nodded. "You're welcome for the story, but Eponine I need to worry about you too" He said walking across the room and picking up his wallet. "Here"

"What are you doing? I don't need money?" Eponine said placing a hand on his forearm as if trying to stop him.

"Look Eponine, if you take some money your father will think that were working last night" He said removing a handful of notes from his wallet "Take this"

"I can't Courfeyrac, that's your hard earned money" Eponine insisted. "Use it to take 'Roche some sweets, or buy him more books. He loves them"

"I have money to do that for Gavroche, I am giving this money to you" Courfeyrac said with a smile, taking her hand and folding the notes into her palm. "I insist, and I am not taking no for an answer"

Eponine sighed, defeated, looking at the handful of notes in her hand. "Father will be happy with this" She commented looking back up at him. There was concern in his eyes, concerns for her safety. "You are a sweetheart Courfeyrac, thank you"

"You are welcome" Courfeyrac smiled. "Text me, yes? Let me know when you can come again, and if you can make it to the café, I'll bring Gavroche to come and see you"

"Yes" Eponine smiled walking with him to the door after saying goodbye to little Gavroche, who seemed pretty content to be watching cartoons from his comfortable spot on the couch, buried under his warm blanket. "Thank you again Courfeyrac" She said rolling up onto your toes to press a kiss to his cheek.

Courfeyrac blushed. "Stop thanking me and go, you don't wait to keep your father waiting" He smiled. She nodded and quickly left, leaving to rush home. Closing the door, he made his way back to the kitchen and quickly made some toast for him and Gavroche.

"Tank you Courf" Gavroche smiled taking the toast Courfeyrac offered him and eating it quickly.

"Slow down, little man, the food isn't going to go anywhere" Courfeyrac chuckled. He watched Gavroche quickly eating the toast, the jam sticking to his fingers as he looked up at his guardian. "Why are you eating so fast?"

"In case" Gavroche began, finishing his piece of toast before continuing. "In case anyone takes it away"

"Takes it away, why would anyone take your food away" Courfeyrac said, concerned now as he gently brought Gavroche to sit on his lap, his own toast forgotten. "Tell me Kiddo"

"They got the food away at the bad place, if we took too long" The little boy said leaning against Courfeyrac's chest.

"_Eat now children, then to bed with you all" said the owner of the orphanage, standing at the head of the table as he stared at the 17 little children that sat around the table. "Faster!" _

_The children, all under the age of ten with Gavroche being the youngest having just turned 4, looked down at their plates and nodded without a word, quickly spooning the vegetable soup into their mouths. _

"_Come on eat faster, or he'll take it away and send you to bed hungry" Said one child, a little boy aged nine, leaning forward so that the owner would not hear him. _

"_But we only just started" Said Rosie, a little girl new to the orphanage. _

"_I know, but he just wants us in bed so we have to be fast" The boy replied _

_Gavroche, who struggled to use the large spoon with the soup, was eating as quickly as he could, more of it falling back into the bowl rather than reaching his mouth. "But I'm hungry" He complained in a voice loud enough for the owner to hear him. It wasn't uncommon for Gavroche or the other younger children to go to bed hungry. They couldn't eat fast enough, and when they did it made them sick. _

"_You'll be hungry again boy" The owner said, his long beard tangled and his eyes mean. "You need to learn Gavroche, you've been here long enough" _

"_Please Monsieur Paul, I'm hungry, I won't take much longer, I pwomise" Gavroche said resorting to pick at the vegetables with his hands to eat faster. "Pwease" _

"_Learn to eat faster and learn to talk properly boy" He boomed, taking the bowl away and giving it to his wife as she collected the bowls from the other children who had not finished their dinner. "Now, Michael" He said looking to the older boy. "Take these younger ones to bed, then to bed with yourself, understand!" _

"_Yes" Michael said taking the hands of a teary Rosie and Gavroche, leading them away. He could cope with having to eat fast or going to bed hungry, but he didn't want that for the little children. They needed mama's and papa's to love them. All of the children wore dirty, old clothing that did not fit them well and they slept between two bedrooms, all the girls in one then all the boys in another. As they walked to the bedrooms, Michael gave Rosie to an older girl by the name of Louisa before walking to the boy's room with Gavroche _

"_I'm 'ungry" Gavroche complained "I can't eat that fast, not the soup, it's too runny" _

"_I know Gavroche" Michael sighed lying on his bed. "Go to sleep, you'll be out of here soon. You're little and cute, people will like you" _

"_I been little since I got here and no one like me yet" Gavroche said sadly looking at the older boy _

"_Just go to sleep Gavroche" Michael replied _

_Gavroche nodded curling up on his side and closing his eyes. _

"They took food away if you didn't finish fast enough?" Courfeyrac gaped, bringing his hand around to stroke Gavroche's hair. The child nodded. "Aww Gavroche, you don't have to be worried about that here, I won't take your food away, I promise. And if you are hungry you can have more food"

"Tank you Courf" Gavroche smiled, absentmindedly scratching his stomach.

Gently, Courfeyrac moved his hand away from his stomach and wrapped him up in his blanket. "No itching, little man, I know you want too but you can't" He said softly holding him close and feeling his forehead. He thankfully did not feel as hot as the day before but still had the fever. "Do you feel yucky?"

"A little bit" Gavroche said wrapping his arms around Courfeyrac "Can we read a story?"

"Sure" Courfeyrac smiled. "Let's just give you some medicine and put some cream on, then we can read a story". Smiling as Gavroche nodded, the young man carried the little boy through to the kitchen sitting him on the counter as he gave him the medicine and dotted his skin in the soothing pink lotion. "You want to sit on the couch, or lie in bed and have your story?" He asked holding him on his hip again

"Bed" Gavroche said leaning his head on Courfeyrac's shoulder. "It cosy"

"Indeed it is" Courfeyrac chuckled carrying him to his room and settling him into his bed, wrapping him up warmly and sitting beside him, making sure that Gavroche had his favourite monkey toy. "There we go" He smiled picking up a book and sitting next to the child, allowing Gavroche to curl against his side and rest his head on his lap.

As he told the story of the brave little car in the biggest race on earth and the story of Ben and the magical train, he ran his hand across Gavroche's curls knowing that the gesture had always comforted him when he was younger and he knew that Gavroche liked it too. "You like stories don't you little man?" He asked

"Yes, Courf, when can I read?" Gavroche asked. "Instead of just listening?"

"Well, you can go to school when you are 5, but I can teach you some if you would like?" Courfeyrac smiled, happy that the child appeared to have a desire to learn. "Would you like that?"

"Yes I would" Gavroche smiled, snuggling closer to him, yawning.

"Then I'll teach you when you are feeling all better" Courfeyrac said softly

"Courf? Where 'Ponine go?" Gavroche asked sleepily.

"She had to go home little man, but don't worry she will come back soon to see us. I promise" Courfeyrac replied moving Gavroche so that he could lie beside him. "She didn't want to go, she wanted to stay here I think"

"That would be good Courf" Gavroche smiled starting to fall asleep.

"I know it would 'Roche" Courfeyrac smiled, kissing his temple. "Maybe one day, you never know"

"'Ponine says home a bad place, this is the good place" the little boy said rubbing his tired eyes. "I think she likes it here"

"I hope she does, I'm glad you like it here" Courfeyrac said softly, adjusting the blankets around Gavroche. "I don't know what her home is like but I am sure she is alright". He hoped she was. He, along with the other amis, had known for a while now what life was like for the Thenardiar girl and always wanted to protect her. They didn't know if they knew the full story or not, but they hoped that if things got really bad, they would be who she came too. Now, Courfeyrac hoped she would come to him. He wanted to protect her, and as he sat watching Gavroche sleep, he couldn't stop himself from worrying for her safety, hoping that the money he had given to her was enough to give her father satisfied.

**And there you have it **

**I hope that you liked it, please review and let me know what you thought **


	6. Finding a home

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter for you all **

**It is split into three parts, showing a segment of Eponine's home life as well as the continuation of the bonding between Courfeyrac and Gavroche (and Eponine). **

**I hope you all like it **

Eponine forced a smile as she walked into the house, Courfeyrac's money still folded into her hand. "I'm here papa, I'm sorry I was away all night"

"Eponine, where were you? You were meant to come to help me with last night's house raiding girl" Thenardiar said with a cruel smirk. "Well, girl, where were you?"

"I was out working papa, I went down to the estate and found some young men, you see papa." Eponine lied. She was used to that sort of work, he would believe her. "I made good money, look"

He pulled the notes from her hand counting out the eighty euros. "Well done Eponine, will I get the same tonight?"

"No papa, I will come to the raid tonight. These young men have other work tonight, in the clubs down in the red light district. You know the place" She replied looking down at her feet. "Thank you papa"

"You've learnt your place at last I see, girl, not grieving over Azelma or searching for the boy" He smiled. "You've moved on at last"

"Indeed papa, Azelma and Gavroche are in the past" Eponine sighed. She missed Azelma greatly and hated that she could not even grieve her sister properly. Despite giving Gavroche away to earn money, her parents did not give Azelma the burial she deserved. The young girl who had died too young had been buried in a small unmarked grave in a large cemetery not far from where they lived. She knew that her parents could not remember the spot where they had laid their middle child to rest, but she knew. Eponine also knew that they did not care whether Gavroche was alive or dead, they had given him away without a care. They would rather see him rot in the slum house orphanage then see him thrive with a family who loved him. She was glad that he was with Courfeyrac, safe where her father wouldn't find him.

"Well done Eponine" Thenardiar smiled wrapping a hand around her thin arm tightly. "Keep that in mind and you might do well in this world"

"I did well in school papa; I could get a good job and bring in constant money" Eponine argued. "Just let me look papa"

"You belong to me Eponine, you do what I say" He replied. "Understand?"

"Yes papa" She sighed pulling her arm away from him and turning to leave the room. "Where is the raid tonight?"

"Those big apartments on rue north" He smiled. "Rich young students, who spend their nights elsewhere"

Eponine gaped. Courfeyrac lived at number 18 rue north. "I know those places papa, nothing there. Those students are the type to take nothing from their rich families; they live average lives, no finery"

"Why should I believe you?" He snarled looking at her. "Well?"

"I spent a lot of time around those apartments when I was in school papa, I know the place well. The students give everything they have to others. We would be better going down rue Luxembourg, they are the selfish rich. Jewells and finery and everything" Eponine explained. She didn't want to steal from anyone, but she had to keep her father and his gang away from Courfeyrac and Gavroche.

"Rue Luxembourg, you say girl?" He smiled. "Will there be money?"

"I can promise that" Eponine smiled "See papa, I know my way around"

"Indeed, but if there is nothing decent to sell at these rich homes, the punishment will be on you, understand?" Thenardiar said, clenching his fists.

"Yes papa" Eponine nodded quickly leaving the room and letting out a sigh of relief as she ran to her room and pulled her phone out of her pocket. 'The money kept papa satisfied, thank you Courfeyrac. He was going to raid the rue north apartments tonight, but I kept him off of the scent' She text

When Courfeyrac received the message, he was relieved to know she was safe. "You are welcome, stop thanking me. I thank you for keeping him away from here. Do you think you will be able to visit soon?"

Eponine: "Yes, mama and papa go out tomorrow to thieve at the markets. I will come then. They will not be back until late"

Courfeyrac: "Good, you can spend the day here if you want"

Eponine: "I would like that"

…

The next morning, Eponine sat against her window watching her parents load the old battered car full of boxes of stolen goods. This happened once a week, Eponine was used to the routine. Once a week, the local square would become full of food and craft stalls. Her parents could easily set up a stall and sell these stolen goods for more than they were worth. It was easy money. Once they were gone, Eponine quickly dressed and left the run down house. She spent the last of her feeble allowance on a chocolate bar for Gavroche before heading to Courfeyrac's apartment.

She always felt that level of excitement at seeing Gavroche, excited to see his little face lit up and watch him play with all of the toys that he should have been given much earlier in his short life. Now, she found herself also feeling excited at the idea of seeing Courfeyrac. He had done so much for Gavroche and showed her nothing but kindness. He was kind and loyal, and the sparkle in his eyes made her heart soar, a feeling normally only linked with the sight of Marius Pontmercy.

"It's open!" come Courfeyrac's yell when she knocked on the door and called her name. She smiled to herself, walking into the spacious apartment. Courfeyrac was curled up on the couch with Gavroche on his lap, both wrapped in his blanket as they watched the morning cartoon.

"Good morning" Eponine said, smiling at the sight. "You two look comfortable"

Courfeyrac smiled moving along the couch to welcome her to sit beside them. "'Roche wanted me to watch the cartoons with him" He said in way of explanation.

"And you couldn't say no?" Eponine giggled, reaching across to tickle Gavroche's stomach, sending him into a fit of giggles. "He looks better today, the spots don't look so sore"

"No, he's nearly better. No more itching" Courfeyrac smiled. "Isn't that right kiddo?"

"Yes Courf, all better now" Gavroche smiled leaning his head back to look at Courfeyrac before turning to Eponine "Are you gonna stay all day today?"

"Yes I am baby" Eponine smiled kissing his head. "And I brought you a sweetie"

Gavroche's little face lit up when he saw the chocolate bar, giving her a thank you and a kiss on the cheek "Tank you 'Ponine, chocolate yummy"

"You're welcome" She smiled sinking back into the soft cushions of the couch. She watched the little boy nibble at the chocolate as he continued to watch the television before going to speak to Courfeyrac "Thank…"

"Don't say thank you again Eponine, there is really no need" Courfeyrac said stopping her from speaking. "It's alright, really"

Eponine smiled, looking at her hands in her lap. "I need to repay you somehow"

"Repay me by spending the day here, enjoying some time with your brother and joining us for dinner tonight, that is all I ask" Courfeyrac smiled repositioning Gavroche in his arms so that the little boy was resting back against his chest. He smiled, pushing hair back from his eyes. "You enjoying that chocolate little man?"

"Yep" Gavroche smiled, licking melted chocolate from his fingers. With a smile, he broke a piece of the bar off and held it up to the young man. "You have some?"

"Aww for me, thank you Gavroche" Courfeyrac smiled taking the small square of chocolate and eating it. "Mm that was very yummy. Is it yummy in your little tummy?"

"Yes it is!" Gavroche laughed

"Good" Courfeyrac said with a cheeky grin, tickling the boy's stomach and peppering kisses over his cheeks, making him squeal with laughter.

Eponine laughed watching the two boys playing and laughing, they seemed so comfortable with each other as if Gavroche had always been a part of Courfeyrac's life.

With the chocolate bar gone and smears of the sweet treat all around Gavroche's mouth, Courfeyrac chuckled standing up and swinging the boy up onto his shoulders. "Right, I'm going to go and clean this little monkey up. Make yourself at home Eponine" He smiled

"Thank you" She smiled setting her leather jacket on the table

"I told you to stop saying that" Courfeyrac called as he carried Gavroche to clean up, the sound of the child's laughter ringing through the apartment. All Eponine wanted to do right now was curl up with Gavroche in her arms and Courfeyrac beside her. She was more comfortable here than she had been at home for years. When the two boys returned, Gavroche quickly took his spot at the coffee table, a number of toy cars and trains to play with, and Courfeyrac sat beside her. She attempted to hide the blush that covered her cheeks by changing the subjects.

"It's nice to see him just being a kid, playing, rather than hiding away from mama and papa or being in that horrible orphanage" She said looking back at Courfeyrac.

"Yes" He agreed. "He loves those toys; he always picks out those ones. He's told me some things about the orphanage and I just want to make it perfect for him here"

"It is perfect for him here, you don't have to worry about that" Eponine replied. "What has he told you?"

Courfeyrac sighed. "That they never had any toys, about from some footballs that only the older kids got" He said. "And that they used to take dinner away from them if they did not finish fast enough because the owners there wanted them in bed as soon as possible"

"That's awful" Eponine gaped. "That's why he is so tiny; he never got proper food when he was first starting to grow. Mama often 'forgets' to make dinner and papa never cared for him. Most of the food he got was because I would sneak it off of the table for him"

"I'm sorry Eponine, for what your parents put him through and what they put you through" Courfeyrac said softly, reaching across to tuck one of her dark curls behind her ear. "But you don't have to worry about him anymore; here he will want for nothing. He will never go hungry and always have all of the toys he could ever dream off"

"Oh Courfeyrac" Eponine said softly. "I know that you would never treat him badly, I can see that he absolutely adores you and I can see that you adore him"

Courfeyrac nodded smiling to her. She blushed looking across at Gavroche.

The day passed by full of games and laughter. Eponine found herself smiling more than she had in many years. She laughed every time she watched Courfeyrac swing Gavroche up into his arms, spinning him around and chasing him through crazy games. It was natural to him, how to act around Gavroche, it appeared to Eponine that he found it so easy. Gavroche acted as if he had known Courfeyrac for as long as he could remember, rather than a few short weeks. She had sat watching a movie with Gavroche whilst Courfeyrac made the dinner, a better meal than she ever got at home. It was perfect. She was happy for Gavroche, that he could finally start having a life that he deserved. A life full of love and care and kindness. In a way, as she watched Gavroche with Courfeyrac, she wished that she could have this life too.

She curled up with a mug of hot chocolate, kissing Gavroche goodnight before Courfeyrac carried the sleepy eyed little boy off to bed. She needed to stop dreaming, to stop wishing, she couldn't have this. She was poor, he was wealthy. Things were different.

…

"There we go my little man" Courfeyrac smiled tucking Gavroche into bed, wrapping the blankets around him and tucking his monkey toy under his arm "Comfy?"

"Yes" Gavroche smiled "All snuggly"

"Good" Courfeyrac said; he couldn't help but smile at the little boy with his sweet curls and sleepy blue eyes. He leaned across to turn on the night light on the bedside cabinet, the small light sending a pale blue glow across the room. "Alright then" He said gently pressing a kiss to Gavroche's forehead. "Goodnight Gavroche"

Gavroche gave a sleepy smile "Goodnight Papa"

**And I hope you all say aww now **


	7. Papa

**Hello, I hope this little scene at the beginning here matches up to the aww factor that the ending of the previous chapter had. This chapter is split into three parts. **

**I hope you all enjoy this. **

Courfeyrac went wide eyed when he heard that one word. Papa. Had he heard the little boy correctly? He wasn't sure. Taking a deep breath in attempt to compose his thoughts, he smiled, he couldn't stop himself. He had to admit to himself that if he had correctly, it felt good to have Gavroche calling him papa. "Pardon Gavroche? What did you say?"

"I said goodnight papa, you my papa" Gavroche said shyly, hiding his face behind his monkey toy unsure to whether Courfeyrac liked being called papa or not.

"Roche, you know I'm not your real papa don't you?" Courfeyrac said gently moving to lie beside the boy and carefully moving the toy away so that he could see his face. "'Roche?"

"Yes I do, but you my new papa. You much better than old papa" Gavroche smiled shuffling close to Courfeyrac.

The young man smiled, unable to stop the tears in his eyes. Gavroche trusted him enough, loved him enough, to call him papa. Not only was he acting like Gavroche's father figure now, the little boy saw him as papa. "Do you want to call me papa, not Courf anymore?" He asked, wrapping his arms around Gavroche and bringing him closer to him, kissing his head.

"Yes, you papa now" Gavroche smiled kissing his cheek. Gavroche had never really wanted to call anyone papa before. He could vaguely remember being very young and crying for his papa and mama but they never came. Courfeyrac would come if he cried for papa, Gavroche knew he would. "Please you papa now?"

Courfeyrac chuckled feeling the tiny kiss on his cheek and nodded, looking at Gavroche with teary eyes. "I would love to be papa now little man"

Gavroche beamed, pressing himself against Courfeyrac's chest "Yay, you my new papa" He smiled, hiding a yawn "I love you papa"

"I love you too kiddo" Courfeyrac smiled kissing his forehead and brushing his hair away from his face. He watched Gavroche smiling and watched his eyes close as he began to fall asleep. Courfeyrac stayed beside him, allowing him to fall asleep in his arms. He couldn't believe that Gavroche saw him as his papa now. The little boy had only been living with him for a few short weeks but was comfortable enough to accept him as a father. He felt honoured and simply couldn't stop smiling.

Eponine, from her space still curled up on the couch, set her mug on the table and stood, wandering what was taking Courfeyrac so long to take Gavroche to bed. He had said that he would come right back and that they could watch a film before Eponine had to be home. With a sigh, she quickly walked through to Gavroche's bedroom trying to stop herself from worrying. Was something wrong? Leaning against the doorframe, she saw Courfeyrac lying on the small bed with the tiny boy curled up in his arms sound asleep. The young man in question had a gentle smile on his lips yet appeared to have unshed tears in his eyes. "Courfeyrac? Is everything alright?" She asked.

Courfeyrac hadn't heard her approaching until she spoke. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he sat up carefully so not to wake the sleeping Gavroche. "Yes" He nodded, standing up and running his hand through his neat brown curls.

"Then why did it take you so long to put him to sleep?" She asked, looking at him with a confused expression.

"We were talking" Courfeyrac smiled walking to her. "Eponine, he called me papa"

Eponine smiled brightly, amazed. For a child who had been through as much as Gavroche had, she would have thought that it would take a long time for him to trust anyone. She had doubted that Gavroche would ever call Courfeyrac papa, let alone come to call him papa so soon after getting to know him. She knew now that this really was the perfect arrangement. Gavroche was happy. He was comfortable. He loved Courfeyrac. With a smile, she acted on impulse, it seemed right for the moment. Looking up at Courfeyrac and seeing the happiness in his eyes, she walked the rest of the way to him and wrapped her thin arms around his torso. "I told you he adores you, you are his papa now"

"Yes, you were right" Courfeyrac smiled bringing his arms around her and allowing her to press herself against his chest. "It feels amazing to hear him say it, to know that he trusts me enough"

"He trusts you to look after him more than he has anyone before" She smiled, leaning her head on his chest and smiling as she felt his arms wrap around her. He felt warm and gentle, and she could feel his voice rumble through his chest as he spoke.

"I'm glad about that" He said softly, smiling as he felt her press against him. Carefully he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her head. "Thank you Eponine"

She blushed at the kiss looking up at him as he pulled away, much to her dismay. "What are you thanking me for?"

"If I didn't know you, I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to have him" Courfeyrac smiled walking with her back to the lounge. "He is very special to me"

"I can see that, what you have done for him is very special for me" Eponine smiled sitting beside him.

…

Courfeyrac stirred hearing the little footsteps crossing his bedroom and feeling the bed sink under a small weight. He smiled to himself, pretending to still be asleep

"Papa" Gavroche smiled "Papa wake up it morning". He climbed up onto the bed and reached up to touch Courfeyrac's cheek. "Papa" He giggled, seeing Courfeyrac smile.

"Good morning little man" Courfeyrac smiled opening his eyes and rolling onto his back to look at the little boy. He felt something stir in him every time he heard him say papa, he had to smile to himself.

"Morning papa" Gavroche smiled crawling across the bed to sit on Courfeyrac's lap as the young man sat up. "What are we doing today papa?" He smiled brightly, happy that he had Courfeyrac to be his papa.

Courfeyrac smiled ruffling his hair. "Well, it's Eponine's birthday soon so we can go buy her a present and then make her a card?" He smiled standing up with the boy in his arms "Yes?"

"Yes, for 'Ponine's birthday" Gavroche smiled "But you write the card papa, I can't write"

"Then I'll have to teach you how to write your name so you can sign it" Courfeyrac smiled setting him down so that he could get dressed. "What shall we buy her?"

"Something pretty" Gavroche smiled following him as he walked to the kitchen.

Once they were both ready and dressed, Courfeyrac got Gavroche into his car seat and drove to the nearby shopping centre determined to find Eponine the perfect birthday present. "What are we going to get Papa?" Gavroche asked as Courfeyrac lifted him up onto his shoulders to walk through the various shops.

"What about a pretty necklace from me, and a nice teddy or something from you?" Courfeyrac smiled, holding onto his legs to keep him steady on his shoulders.

"Yeah, that's good papa" Gavroche smiled playfully patting Courfeyrac's head "You think of everything"

Courfeyrac laughed carrying him into a jewellery shop. "You've got to help me chose little man"

"Alright papa" Gavroche replied looking around him at all of the necklaces and bracelets.

Courfeyrac smiled looking around with him, looking through what felt like hundreds of necklaces before finding the perfect one. It was a simple silver chain with a small locket covered with a beautiful intricate flower design. On the back a message was written _When I can't come to you, I see you here. _It was perfect, he could put a photograph of little Gavroche inside, so she would have something on him when she couldn't get out of the house to come and see him. "What do you think of this one 'Roche?" He asked holding it up for Gavroche to see. "Is it pretty?"

"Yes papa" Gavroche nodded "She will like that one"

"Perfect" Courfeyrac smiled purchasing the necklace. He then took him to a toy store to get a teddy bear for him to give to Eponine, even though he knew that he would leave the store with more than he intended. If Gavroche saw something that he wanted, Courfeyrac would not be able to say no.

"This one Papa!" Gavroche smiled holding up a big soft teddy bear that was holding a bunch of felt flowers. "It's a teddy and flowers all in one, 'Ponine will like it"

"Okay then" Courfeyrac smiled putting the bear in the basket and quickly following the little boy as he ran in the direction of a display of toy trains. "Gavroche wait for me please" He called.

Gavroche, with his eyes wide, stared at the display of trains, watching the train set running as the little blue train made its way along the track. "Look at the trains' papa"

Courfeyrac smiled picking up a box containing a track and a few of the small toy trains. He couldn't help himself from spoiling the boy, he loved the way his face lit up when he got a new toy. "Alright Gavroche, just this one yes?" He said showing him the box.

"Yes pwease papa, tank you" Gavroche beamed taking the box and holding it tightly.

"Alright then, come on then, lets buy these and go home so we can make the card" Courfeyrac smiled playfully swinging Gavroche back up onto his shoulders.

…

With the presents wrapped and set aside, Courfeyrac had already wrote his own card to Eponine before giving Gavroche sheets of craft paper and coloured pens to make his own for her. He watched happily as the little boy drew flowers and stick figures, decorating the card. "What have you drawn?" He asked sitting with him

"Flowers like the teddy got, because they are pretty and this is Eponine" He said pointing to a stick figure with long brown hair and a big smile. "And this is me, I'm the little one, and I have yellow hair, and this one is you with the curly hair".

Courfeyrac smiled brightly kissing his head, wishing that the drawing wasn't on the card in way, no matter how much he knew Eponine was going to love it. He wanted it to be the sort of child's drawing that a father was stick on the fridge door; a drawing of their family. "Very good kiddo" He smiled. "Now Ill write the message, but you should write your name in it"

"I don't know how too" Gavroche pouted.

"Ill show you" Courfeyrac said picking up a pen and a scrap piece of paper before writing out Gavroche's name in big letters. "G.A.V.R.O.C.H.E"

Shyly, Gavroche picked up a pen and tried to copy the lettering in his wobbly handwriting. "Like this papa?"

"That's it" Courfeyrac smiled "Well done, can you write it in the card. It doesn't matter if its messy, Eponine will like that it is in your handwriting"

Gavroche nodded, a look of complete concentration on his face as he tried to write his name as neatly as possible, looking back up at Courfeyrac's writing so that he knew he was spelling it correctly. "There we go, I did it papa" He said holding the card up. The message was in Courfeyrac's neat handwriting with Gavroche's name written messily at the bottom in the childish handwriting of Gavroche.

"That's perfect 'Roche, Eponine is going to love it so much"

"Tank you papa, I hope so" Gavroche smiled

**There we go, I hope you all liked this fluffy sweet chapter **

**Please review and let me know what you thought. **


	8. Many a thankyou

**Hello :D**

**This is the longest chapter yet. Over 2500 words. And it is fluffy! I hope you all like it :D**

Eponine was one of those sorts of people who treated her birthday as if it was a normal day, rather than an event to be celebrated. Many would state their reason for behaving like this as they did not want to admit that they were a year older, but for Eponine the reason was different. Her parents ignored her birthday. When she was a little girl, and they had the hotel that made them money, she would be spoilt on her birthday with beautiful toys and the best clothing. Now, she would be lucky to get her mother or her father to greet her with a 'good morning Eponine' on her birthday.

She woke early, leaving a note that she was going out to work before leaving the horrid little house that she was forced to call home. She wore her battered leather jacket, covering her arms as bruises littered her skin. Her father had lost money in a bet the night before, and of course he had blamed her for everything. In a way she was glad that Azelma wasn't there anymore. Her father's abusive behaviour had only gotten worse since her sister had died and her mother would spend her days working a local bar, flirting her way into more money. It was rare for there to be a good warm meal on the table, and the beatings were common. She could handle it. She was just glad that Gavroche was safe. He was with Courfeyrac and he was happy.

For the first birthday since she was nine years old, Eponine was smiling. The night before she had received a text message from Courfeyrac, stating that she needed to come to the café for a surprise. Everyone would be there. She wouldn't say that she was close friends with any of the young students other than Courfeyrac, but she was touched to think that they were willing to spend the day there to help to celebrate her birthday.

…

"Alright little man" Courfeyrac smiled standing Gavroche up on his bed as he dressed him for the day. "Do you know what today is?"

"It's 'Ponine's birthday!" Gavroche cheered taking hold of Courfeyrac's hands and bouncing up and down on the bed, a wide cheeky smile on his face.

Courfeyrac laughed, watching the little boy bounce with his blonde curls flying around his little face. "Indeed it is kiddo, and we are going to the café to celebrate"

"Okay papa" Gavroche smiled. "We see your friends again?"

"Yes, we will. You didn't really meet them last time but we are going to see them now so we can set up for the party" Courfeyrac smiled waiting until Gavroche was at the top of a bounce before swinging him up into his arms and sitting him on his shoulders.

Gavroche laughed putting his hands over Courfeyrac's eyes. "Now you can't see papa" he giggled

"No I can't? How am I going to take you to the café if I can't see where I am going?" Courfeyrac chuckled going along with the game. "We could walk into the wall and end up on the floor, which would be bad"

"And we couldn't give 'Ponine her presents!" Gavroche said with a gasp and taking his hands away from Courfeyrac's eyes "If we were on the floor"

"Absolutely not" Courfeyrac smiled, picking up the presents and holding them in one hand as he held onto Gavroche's leg gently to keep him in place. "Now come on little man, let's go"

Gavroche smiled brightly as Courfeyrac carried him the short walking distance to the café for the group of young students met. Courfeyrac, as he was one of the first members of the group, was still an important part of it. The group met at least once a week to discuss ideas for equality. They all believed that everyone should be equal, and treated equally, no matter how much money they had. Since having become the father figure to little Gavroche just over a month ago, Courfeyrac had not been able to attend the meetings as often because the little boy grew bored and shy and Courfeyrac just thought it better to stay at home with him. He knew that Enjolras, the leader of the group, did not like the fact that Courfeyrac stayed away from the meetings but he was happy that he did stay in contact, actively campaigning over the internet whilst at home with Gavroche.

"Hey everyone" Courfeyrac smiled as they entered the café, setting the presents on the table with the array of food and other gifts and he lifted Gavroche down from his shoulders and holding him on his hip.

"Are we gonna have a party?" Gavroche asked smiling "Are we papa?"

Upon hearing the word 'papa', Grantaire, Combeferre and Enjolras looked at Courfeyrac with equally confused expressions. "He calls you papa?" Enjolras asked. "He's only been with you a few weeks. Did you ask him to call you that?" Enjolras would be one to openly admit that he had never been good with children. He didn't have any siblings or any young children in his family for that matter. Growing up in a wealthy Paris neighbourhood, he had never been one to play with other children, preferring to stay alone.

"No, he chose too didn't you buddy?" Courfeyrac smiled bouncing him on his hip and kissing his head.

"Yes papa, you better than old papa" Gavroche smiled looking across at the other men shyly. He had met them before, but didn't really know them. For someone that had been through what Gavroche had, it wasn't easy to trust new people. They were all looking at him and Courfeyrac. He blushed, his thumb finding its way into his mouth as he buried his head in Courfeyrac's shoulder.

"Hey, have you gone all shy little man?" Courfeyrac said comfortingly, bringing a hand up to rub the little boy's back, encouraging him to look up. "Come on now 'Roche, they aren't scary I promise"

"Yeah we don't bite" Grantaire smiled walking up to Courfeyrac and peeking behind him, trying to catch Gavroche's attention. "If you look up I'll pull my famous silly faces, bet you I can make you laugh"

"You won't be able to see Eponine open all her presents if you keep your little head tucked away there, Gavroche" Combeferre smiled.

"See they're all nice" Courfeyrac smiled shifting Gavroche in his arms to get him to look at everyone.

"Absolutely, come on little one. We can play dominoes or something, whilst all this lot are doing the boring bit and set up the party "Jehan said looking at the little boy. "Come on"

"There we go Gavroche" Courfeyrac said gently setting him down and brushing his hair away from his eyes. "Say hello buddy"

"Hello" He said shyly, fiddling with his shirt before looking up to come eye to eye with Jehan, the gentle young poet having knelt down to be at his height. "What your name?"

"My name is Jean Prouvaire, but you can call me Jehan, everyone else does" He said with a smile reaching out to take the little boy's hand. "What me to introduce you to everyone?" Gavroche nodded, wrapping his hand around Jehan's thumb as he led him further into the room. "Right, this one here, the one who pulls the silly faces, is Grantaire, but will call him R or 'Taire" Jehan smiled leading him to Grantaire as the young man sat back at the table.

"Pleasure to meet you Gavroche" Grantaire smiled shaking the little boy's hand and sticking his tongue out in a silly face, making the child laugh.

"You the silly one?" Gavroche questioned innocently with a giggle.

Courfeyrac laughed and nodded "You could say that little man, and a little word of warning, never drink anything he gives you unless one of us have checked it first"

Gavroche giggled and nodded. "Alright papa" he smiled before allowing Jehan to pick him up and take him to Combeferre. "Hello" He smiled

"This is Combeferre, he's quite serious but he'll play cards with you. I warn you though, he's very good" Jehan smiled.

"I'll win, I'm good at snap" Gavroche smiled cheekily

"Oh really, I'm not sure I know that game kiddo, you'll have to teach me" Combeferre smiled going along with the child's desire to win the game.

"I'll teach you to play it Combeferre" the little boy said, smiling to Combeferre before looking across at Enjolras. "Who's he? Why he not talk to me?"

"Now, that is Enjolras. He is the leader. I don't think he likes children very much" Jehan said with a slight frown.

"It is not that I don't like children, it is that I have no experience with children" Enjolras replied. "How do you do Gavroche?"

"I do fine, I think?" Gavroche replied with a confused expression looking back at Courfeyrac.

"Aww he's alright 'Roche, he does talk all proper like that. He acts a lot older than he is, but I'm sure you can get him to loosen up" Courfeyrac smiled

"I'd like to see him try" Grantaire smirked.

Jehan nodded setting Gavroche into a chair and sitting with him.

…

"Happy Birthday Eponine!"

When Eponine arrived, she was surprised to see everyone waiting for her, standing around one of the café's tables. The table itself was laden with food, drinks and presents. She found herself laughing at the scene. Courfeyrac stood nearest to her, Gavroche sitting on his shoulders. Both had brightly coloured party hats perched upon their curls, along with Grantaire whose own hat was tilted to one side. Jehan held a bunch of flowers out to her and even Combeferre and Enjolras wore smiles on their faces. Enjolras may have been annoyed that his political planning had been interrupted for one day for a birthday party, but he was willing to celebrate. "Oh my goodness, look at this, thank you" she smiled brightly.

"You are welcome" Courfeyrac smiled lifting Gavroche down so that the little boy could run to Eponine

"Happy birthday 'Ponine" Gavroche smiled brightly, giggling as Eponine picked him up and held him close, kissing his chubby cheek. "We have presents for you!"

"So I see baby" Eponine smiled holding him on her hip as she walked to the table and sat with him on her lap. "Thank you for this, all of you; I haven't had a birthday party since I was nine"

"Well then, we need to correct that, don't we?" Courfeyrac smiled coming up behind her and setting a polka-dot party hat on her head and kissing her cheek. "Why don't you open some presents?"

Blushing from the kiss and laughing at little Gavroche's reaction to seeing his sister with the party hat on her head, Eponine nodded picking up the first of the presents. "Can you help me open it Gavroche?" She smiled watching the little boy nod happily.

She opened the presents with Gavroche's assistance, the little boy ripping the paper excitedly. She received a book of poems from Jehan, a bracelet from Combeferre, a book of political reasoning from Enjolras to which she had to laugh a little, and a bottle of wine of Grantaire. When it came to opening the neatly wrapped present from Courfeyrac, she looked up to see him blushing subtly. She smiled and tears came to her eyes when she saw the beautiful pendent with the equally beautiful photograph of Gavroche inside. "Oh thank you Courf" She smiled, blushing as he put the necklace on for her. "It's beautiful, I love it"

"Gavroche said you would" Courfeyrac smiled, ruffling the little boy's hair.

"Open my present 'Ponine" Gavroche smiled holding up his messily wrapped gift. "Pwease"

"Of course 'Roche" Eponine smiled opening the parcel to reveal the teddy bear. "Aw baby, it's so cute, thank you"

He beamed. "I knew you would like it" He smiled climbing back onto her lap and holding up his card "and I made this too"

"I love it" Eponine smiled kissing his head and taking the card, opening it to reveal Courfeyrac's neatly written message with Gavroche's name written at the bottom. "And I love this, so much. Did Courfeyrac teach you to write your name?"

"Yes he did, papa taught me" Gavroche smiled

Eponine beamed.

….

Stay the night, he had said, it's your birthday so why ruin it by having to go home. Courfeyrac had asked her to stay, and Gavroche had backed him up on it, pulling out the puppy dog look and begging his big sister to stay. Courfeyrac, the kind soul that he was, had even offered to give her more money again, so that her father wouldn't expect anything. She couldn't say no to them, especially not Gavroche. So she had stayed. Courfeyrac had insisted that she had his bed and he would sleep on the couch, he wouldn't take no for an answer. So here she was, finding herself falling asleep in the warm comfort of his bed again. But this time, she found herself wishing that she wasn't alone in it.

"No…" She whispered, her eyes closed in sleep but her mind active in the realms of her nightmare. "Papa, I didn't lie, I didn't do it. It wasn't my fault". Her father had blamed her for him losing the bet that had lost him money in the long run. It hadn't been her fault in any way, she was just the outlet for his anger. Tears began to fall down from her sleeping eyes, and she turned in the bed, tossing the blankets away. "No! Papa!"

The cries woke him, woke him so suddenly that he had to put his arm out to stop himself from tumbling off of the couch. "Eponine?" He questioned to the darkness of the room jumping up and dashing in the direction of the bedroom. He peaked his head around Gavroche's door to make sure that the cries had not woken the tiny boy. They hadn't. Gavroche was still fast asleep, curled around his monkey toy, smiling in his sleep. Nodding to himself, he quickly made his way to his bedroom.

Eponine sat up, wiping tears out of her eyes, jumping when she saw the door open. "Courfeyrac? Did I wake you?" She asked shyly.

He nodded. "It's alright" He said softly walking into the room and sitting on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong Eponine?"

"Nothing…" She lied, trying to make herself look as if she hadn't been crying

"Eponine, I've spent the last month living with your little brother who loves to tell jokes. I am not easily fooled" Courfeyrac said looking her in the eye "I know you had a nightmare"

She looked down, sniffling. "I'm sorry, it was just a dream. I know I'm being silly"

"No you're not" He said carefully moving to sit beside her and swinging an arm around her shoulders. "Was it about your family?"

She nodded, turning to lean her head on his shoulder. "Yes" She whispered.

"Why do you stay there? You're old enough to leave?" Courfeyrac asked using his movements to encourage her to lay back down, his arms still around her, letting her know she was safe.

"I don't want to be there, I hate it, I hate them but I hate to think what would happen if I was to leave" Eponine sighed, finding herself wrapping her arms around him and pressing herself to his chest.

"I wish I could help" Courfeyrac sighed kissing her forehead and stroking her hair. "Go back to sleep Eponine, it's alright"

She nodded yawning, comfortable in his hold. "Thank you" She whispered.

"You are always welcome" Courfeyrac whispered, rubbing a comforting hand up and down her arm as she began to fall asleep.

He had laid with her having full intention to go back to the couch once she was sleeping again. He didn't. He fell asleep in her hold just as she had in his.

**And aww, was that cute enough for you?**

**Please review, I love any feedback. **


	9. Decision

**And here we go… **

**In this chapter: Eponine makes a decision and Gavroche spends a day without Papa**

Gavroche smiled, humming to himself as he padded down the narrow corridor towards the lounge, where he was expecting to see Courfeyrac sleeping on the couch. He had made waking up his guardian every morning as his little job to do as Courfeyrac could sleep all day if you let him. When he didn't see his papa sound asleep on the couch as he expected, the little boy pouted, checking the kitchen and the bathroom before walking to the bedroom. Maybe he had gone to wake up Eponine? Slowly opening the door to the bedroom, Gavroche's eyebrows knotted in confusion, seeing his papa lying on the bed with Eponine curled into his arms, both sound asleep. "Papa" He said in a little voice stepping closer to the bed and placing a hand of Courfeyrac's arm. "Papa"

It was Eponine who stirred first, rather than Courfeyrac. She sighed sleepily, shifting as she woke, realising in a moment of shock that she was pressed against Courfeyrac's chest. Blushing violently, she pulled away quickly coming face to face with little Gavroche as she sat up. "Um…" She said, brushing her hands against her cheek as if trying to wipe the blush away. "Good morning Gavroche"

Courfeyrac awoke hearing Eponine's voice and he too looked to the little boy as he sat up. Gavroche stood beside the bed, a little pout on his lips and his arms folded across his chest. "Papa, what are you doing?" he asked "You were sleeping on the couch"

Eponine blushed furiously, embarrassed by the fact that she must have spent the night after her nightmare, sleeping in Courfeyrac's arms. Whilst very embarrassed, she had to admit that she had not slept that well in a long time. "He came to me 'Roche, I had a bad dream"

Nodding, Courfeyrac sat up fully and run his hand through his hair leaning down to pick Gavroche up and sit him on his lap. "Yes" He said looking to the little boy "Ponine had a bad dream and I heard her crying so I came to make her feel better."

"Like when I have a bad dream and you come and cuddle me papa?" Gavroche said leaning against Courfeyrac's chest

"Yes exactly like that" Courfeyrac smiled kissing his cheek. "And the cuddles make you feel better don't they? So they made Eponine feel better too"

Gavroche nodded looking over to Eponine. "Then you both fell asleep?"

"Yeah baby, we both fell asleep" Eponine said in agreement standing up and trying to pull the knots from her hair.

Courfeyrac smiled to her before standing up and setting Gavroche back on the ground. "Alright little man" He smiled. "If you brush your teeth and get dressed, I'll get you some breakfast ready okay?"

"Okay papa, I bet I can be fast!" Gavroche said looking up at Courfeyrac with a cheeky smile.

"I bet I can be faster" Courfeyrac replied, equally cheekily as he ruffled the boy's hair "Now, go on". Gavroche smiled and ran out of the room, dashing back towards his own room. Once he was gone, he turned to Eponine. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah" She smiled. "That was just very embarrassing. I just want to say thank you for last night, Courfeyrac. I'm sorry I woke you up"

"Don't say sorry, I was glad to help" He said sitting on the edge of the bed with her. "Listen to me Eponine, why do you put up with all that your parents put you through? You are nineteen years old; you are legally old enough to leave home"

"I'm scared" Eponine sighed. "I could leave but there is no guarantee that they wouldn't find me again. There is a group of young men that hang around the house; my father would them out to find me. I want to leave. But I need to be able to leave and know that I am safe. I would have to run away, they would never let me just walk out and leave. I would have to do it without them knowing that I was going to leave"

"What would you need to make you feel safe?" Courfeyrac asked, taking her hand in a show of comfort.

"I don't know" She said looking at their hands locked together. "I felt safe last night, and feel safe here. With you and Gavroche"

Courfeyrac nodded. "Then come here, leave home and come here". It blurted out really. Sometimes his mind worked so fast that his mouth couldn't keep up. It could be said that this is what had happened when he had offered to take little Gavroche into his care. He had meant that of course. The idea had scared him but as soon as he saw that little boy hiding away in the garden he knew that he was doing the right thing and he knew that he would come to love him. And he had. He adored Gavroche and felt that he had never done anything better than to adopt Gavroche. Now he meant this. He wanted Eponine safe and if that meant him helping her to run away and her coming to live with him and Gavroche, so be it.

"What? Courfeyrac are you mad?" Eponine said shocked that he was even offering his home to her. "I can't"

"Why ever not?" He asked "You said so yourself that you feel safe here"

"I know 'Fey" Eponine said looking him in the eye. "You are too kind, you have given my little a home, a place where he is loved and cared for. You have given him more than that, he calls you papa. I cannot possibly ask for you to give me a home as well, it is too much. No matter how much I would like it"

"But you are not asking me to give you it, I am offering. That makes it completely different Eponine" Courfeyrac said softly kissing her forehead and bringing her closer. "Do this for me; this can be your way of thanking me"

"I don't know how to go about running away, like I said my father will send the boys out to look for me" Eponine sighed leaning into his hold. "I don't know if I can do this"

"I will help you" Courfeyrac replied. "I'll drive you there and stay close in case anything happens. Are your parents' home today?"

She nodded "Should be"

"Alright then, you can go in, give him some money to keep him sweet for a while, pack up your stuff and get out. I'll be right there" Courfeyrac said. "You can do this, 'Ponine, please"

"I don't want to take any more of your money" Eponine sighed.

"Once again, offering is very different from taking" Courfeyrac said. "If it costs me money to have you safe, so be it"

"Are we really going to do this 'Fey?" Eponine said looking at him with a serious expression

"Yes we are" Courfeyrac smiled

…

"Alright Gavroche, listen to me now little man" Courfeyrac said holding the little boy in his arms as he carried him up the stairs into the first floor meeting room of the café. "I have to go and complete a very important job today, and Eponine is helping me, but you can't come I'm afraid"

"Why?" Gavroche asked wrapping his arms around Courfeyrac's neck.

"Because it's a job for grownups" He replied "So you have to stay with my friends, you like them remember". He had already sent a text to Combeferre saying that he needed them to look after little Gavroche for the day.

"Yes… But I want to go with Papa" Gavroche pouted

"I know kiddo but it will be more fun here" Courfeyrac said "You have toys and books in your race car bag, so it will be fun". As he walked up into the room, he saw Combeferre sitting with Grantaire and Jehan around the table. Combeferre, as per usual was reading, whilst Jehan was gazing out of the window and Grantaire sat tucked up into a chair, doodling in his sketchbook. "Here we go"

"Hey Courfeyrac, hey Gavroche" Combeferre smiled sitting up and setting down his book.

"Hello" Courfeyrac smiled putting down the little boy and giving him his bag. "Thanks for looking after him"

"That's fine, it will be good" Jehan smiled walking to Gavroche "Hey little one"

Gavroche pouted looking up to Courfeyrac "Papa, don't go"

"Aww I'm sorry little man, I'll try and be as fast as I can to come back and get you I promise" Courfeyrac said kissing his head. "These lot will entertain you and you won't realise I'm not here"

"I will papa, I will" Gavroche protested shaking his head, sending his blonde curls bouncing and throwing his arms around Courfeyrac's leg. "Don't go"

"Gavroche, come on kiddo" Courfeyrac sighed. "I won't be gone long"

Combeferre, a quick thinker, picked up a stack of cards and started to shuffle them, neatly holding cards between his fingers and twisting them, the movement of the cards catching the little boy's attention. "Gavroche" He smiled "If you don't let daddy go, you won't be able to teach me to play snap. I bet you can win"

Gavroche nodded, still holding onto Courfeyrac. "I will win" He said with a little smile, watching the young man stack the cards back up and set them on the table.

"Okay" Combeferre smiled standing up and walking to him, before kneeling down to his height "But my pack of cards is missing one, have you seen it?"

"No Mr Combeferre" Gavroche said, looking at him as he pressed himself against Courfeyrac. His guardian smiled, seeing Gavroche's attention being drawn away from him to Combeferre instead.

"Oh really, then what is this…" Combeferre smiled, sliding a finger behind Gavroche's ear and pulling to reveal the 'missing' card folded in his hand. "Behind your ear"

Gavroche gasped, his little mouth falling open as he let go of Courfeyrac "How did you do that?"

"Magic" Combeferre smiled, nodding to Courfeyrac "Did you like it? I'll show you another magic trick if you let papa go"

"You promise you'll come back, you won't leave me here forever?" Gavroche asked looking up to Courfeyrac

"Of course I won't leave you here, you're my boy, I love you too much to leave you here" Courfeyrac smiled "I'll come back later"

"Alright papa, I'll stay here if you promise to come back" Gavroche said in a serious tone

"I promise I'll come back buddy" Courfeyrac smiled. "You be a good boy okay?"

Gavroche nodded, wrapping his hand around Combeferre's thumb as he watched Courfeyrac go. "Mr Combeferre, where is papa going?" He asked

"He is helping Eponine with something, hopefully it won't take long" Combeferre smiled lifting him up and sitting him at the table. "So, how do you play snap?"

….

Courfeyrac rushed back down to the car, which was parked outside the café, Eponine nervously sitting in the front passenger seat. "Ready to go?" He asked as he sat in the driver's seat beside her.

She nodded. "What took you so long? Is Roche alright? This is the first time that he has been away from you since you adopted him"

"He wouldn't let go of my leg at first, but Combeferre distracted him with a card trick, he seemed pretty entertained by the 'magic'" Courfeyrac smiled starting to drive. "Do you have much in the way of belongings to bring with you?"

"No, just some clothes and a necklace that was Azelma's. And Gavroche's baby book. I made it for him" She replied, looking straight ahead as they drove out of the nice area of the city into the darker, more dirty area. She hated it here; she didn't want Courfeyrac to see this. She didn't want him to see how she lived. "Courfeyrac, this place, it isn't nice"

"'Ponine, I saw the orphanage where Gavroche was kept, I can handle this" He replied, parking a block away from her house so that no one would see him. "Ready"

Eponine nodded. "I'll give him the money first" She said looking to the fistful of notes Courfeyrac had folded into her palm earlier. What she didn't know was that he had folded a cheque for £1000 euro into the notes. He needed to keep her father happy, that would make him happy. He did not care about the cost. He wanted Eponine safe. He knew that if he had shown her the cheque she would have never accepted it. "Then I'll run to my room and put everything in a bag, and then I'll climb down from my window"

Courfeyrac nodded. "You can do this Eponine" He said kissing her cheek. "Just think, you will be free soon. And if they come looking, we have enough people looking out for us to keep us safe, you me and Gavroche will be fine together"

**This seemed a good point to leave it at for now…**

**I hope you liked it, please review and more will be coming soon**


	10. Escaping

**And here is the new chapter for you all: D**

**I hope you all like it, please review and let me know what you think **

Eponine took a deep breath in order to calm herself as she stood outside her run down home. She thought about the times before it all went wrong for her family, before they lost the hotel, before they lost the money. They had been happy before they lost it all. Eponine tried to remember seeing her parents smile after they came to city. She knew for sure that they never smiled when it came to little Gavroche. Her mother had wanted a little girl, not a boy. And he was sickly. Being born premature, her parents were forced to pay the hospital bills. Azelma had adored him just has much as Eponine did. She would be happy to see him now. There were times where Eponine believed that her parents had lost all ability to care when they lost the money. They had not appeared to care when Azelma died and she knew that they did not care about the loss of a second children when they sent Gavroche away.

Upon entering the house, Eponine found her parents in the kitchen. Her mother, dressed in her usual tattered dress and jacket, stood at the table pouring beer for her husband. Mr Thenardiar watched her intently, but his gaze soon turned to Eponine. "Where have you been girl, you have missed an entire day of work!" He asked

"I have been working papa, I've been with the young men in the red light district" Eponine replied "I promise papa, this proves it". With that, she passed her father the notes.

Thenardiar smiled counting the notes to the sum of 100 euros. When he found the cheque, he gasped, a grin across his face "well, what did you do to get this little lady, 1000 euros in a cheque?"

Eponine paled. She hadn't known that was there. "Well, papa" she started. She had to think fast and make it believable. "I went to this little bar right down the alleys, you know the sort of place. The rich go there. And this man, well, he paid for me for the whole night. I made no complaint and that was my payment"

"Well done Eponine, finally learning are we?" He smirked "will I be getting more?"

"If the work comes" Eponine replied going to leave the room.

"If the work comes" he repeated "I expect it will come as you will go back tonight, yes?"

"Don't make me papa" Eponine pleaded. "I promise that I will get a job and send money your way, I promise". She had to promise even though she had no idea who she was going to keep money coming to him. That was Courfeyrac's money not her's. If she got a good job, she could send him money. There was only one thing she knew for sure, she had to stay away from this house.

"You better keep money coming into my pocket, or you know what will happen to you girl" he snapped stuffing the money into his pocket. "You remember what happens when I lose money!"

She nodded, tears in her eyes "yes papa, I promise there will be more money, I promise" she said in a weak voice. "Please papa"

He nodded pushing her back "if I don't have more money by the end of the week, I'll send Montparnasse to you"

"Yes papa, you will have more money" she nodded. Eponine did not know why she had agreed to his command. She only had the money she had been saving in a box under her bed to buy Gavroche something special for his 5th birthday. If he wanted more, she would be in trouble.

"Good girl" he smiled roughly petting her cheek "now get out of my sight"

"Yes papa" Eponine sighed, glad to be getting out of the room. She could remember the days when her father was her favourite person in the world. When she was a little girl, her father would pick her and kiss her cheeks and cuddle her, taking her everywhere with him because she was the most precious thing to him. Now money was the most precious thing. He had treated Azelma like a princess when she was small, now she was dead and he didn't care. She had the only photographs of her sister. She had the only photographs of Gavroche, she had taken them. No one else had wanted to remember his early days.

She entered her bedroom, quickly putting her clothes into a bag. Her bedroom was plain and dark, one small light hanging from its wire. The only thing she liked about it was the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. Azelma had helped her put them up when they had first moved to the house when Eponine was 11 and Azelma was 9. With a sigh, she stuffed Azelma's red gem necklace into her pocket and reached under the bed to pull out her money box and two photo albums. One was full of photographs of her and Azelma, the other was Gavroche's baby photographs. These and the necklace were her best prized possessions.

"Eponine, what are you doing up there?" Her father called

"Nothing papa" she replied

"Good, you better stay up there girl!" He shouted, wanting to keep her in her place

She didn't reply, she knew this was her chance. Picking up the bag, she went to the window opening it and sitting on the ledge. She wanted to escape. She wanted to escape from this world where her parents kept her locked away and forced her to steal and put men upon her. Holding the bag over her shoulder, she began to climb down being as quiet as she possibly could. If they found her know she knew it would all be over for her. Her father and his gang had killed before; she wouldn't be surprised if he was to kill again.

….

"Mr Combeferre, when is my papa gonna be back?" Gavroche said looking up at the young doctor. The little boy, having 'taught' Combeferre how to play snap and beaten him more than once, had grown bored and now sat with his head on his arms on the table, watching Combeferre as he read through medical notes.

"I don't know Buddy, soon properly" Combeferre replied looking at Gavroche. "Are you bored?"

At the mention of the word 'bored', Grantaire looked up from his drawing and nodded to himself. "Bored? We can't have that" He smiled standing up and walking over to the counter picking up a small cup of crayons they gave the children in the café. "Hey Gavroche, you want to do some drawing?"

"Drawing" Gavroche smiled looking up at the dark haired man. "I can draw a picture?"

"Of course you can" Grantaire smiled tearing some pages out of the sketch pad and putting them along with the crayons in front of the small boy. "You can do some drawing and I will do some drawing, does that sound good?"

"Yes Mr 'Taire" Gavroche said with a cheeky grin picking up a crayon and starting to draw "What are you drawing?"

Grantaire smiled "A boring poster for one of Enjolras' equal rights meetings" He said rolling his eyes

"Don't let Enjolras hear you say that" Combeferre chuckled. "Or he won't be paying for your drinks when you beg anymore"

"Alright" Grantaire nodded before smiling cheekily to Gavroche. "That comment is our little secret kiddo, you got it?"

"Got it Mr 'Taire" Gavroche smiled giving him a smile "Equali…Equally meetings not boring"

Grantaire laughed "You're funny kid"

Gavroche giggled continuing with his drawing, drawing stick figures of him, Courfeyrac and Eponine. For a child like Gavroche, having a real family was very special and very important to him. He had Courfeyrac as his papa and he had Eponine. They were family to him. Grantaire smiled looking over at the picture. "Is that Courfeyrac and Eponine?" He asked

"Yes" Gavroche smiled. "It is papa, and 'Ponine and me"

"You like living with Courfeyrac don't you?" Grantaire smiled leaning against the table and smiling at the little boy.

"Yes I do Mr 'Taire, he is my papa now and that's very special" Gavroche said colouring in Courfeyrac's dark brown curly hair on his picture with a series of brown scribbles. "I love my papa"

Grantaire nodded. "Hey Gavroche, do you know what gossip is?" He asked. The little boy shook his head. "Okay, gossip is like a secret but it is about other people. So do you know any gossip about Courfeyrac and your sister?"

"I don't know what you mean Mr 'Taire" Gavroche said with a confused expression.

"Well you know in the movies, there is always a boy character and a girl character that love each other. They like to spend a lot of time together and they cuddle and they kiss" Grantaire smiled. "Do you think that Courfeyrac and Eponine love each other?"

"Leave the boy alone Grantaire, he won't know anything about them" Combeferre said looking over at the pair

"He might" Grantaire smiled "Well Gavroche? Do you know anything about them?"

"I don't know but 'Ponine had a bad dream last night and this morning, Papa wasn't sleeping on the couch like he was before, he was cuddling with 'Ponine and they were both asleep in Papa's bed" Gavroche smiled. "Papa says cuddling makes bad dreams better"

"Oh really, well isn't that sweet" Grantaire smiled

"Does that mean they love each other Mr 'Taire?" Gavroche asked

"Maybe it does, and maybe they don't know it yet so this is another secret" Grantaire smiled ruffling the little boy's hair.

…

'Come on Eponine, you can do this' Eponine thought to herself as she started climbing down. She knew that Courfeyrac was waiting for her just a block away. He would probably be worrying now, wondering why she was taking so long. He was a sweetheart, giving her all that money just to make sure that her father would be happy and she would be safe. He seemed so concerned about her safety, more concerned than anyone had been in many years. She only expected him to be concerned about Gavroche. That should be his main priority, not her.

She climbed down, holding her bag of her most prized possessions tightly as she began to run. She ran away, hoping that she was running away from her old life towards something that would be much better for her. She wanted freedom and a home where she wouldn't be afraid to leave the safety of her own bedroom. She kept running until she saw Courfeyrac's car. She knew that her parents would notice she was missing soon. She just hoped she could find a job and find some money to send home to him to keep him away from her. She never wanted to see him again. She knew that it wouldn't be the last time she saw him, he wasn't one to give up that easily, but for now that was not her main concern at the moment. Her main concern was getting to Courfeyrac. She knew that it would all feel alright if she was with Courfeyrac.

"Eponine, are you alright?" Courfeyrac said, a sigh of relief coming with the words.

"I think so, he seemed happy with the money" Eponine nodded, taking his hand. "But I have one little question"

He nodded squeezing her hand "Anything" He smiled

"1000 euro, really Courfeyrac?" She said looking him in the eye "You could put Gavroche in school for a year with that"

"I have money put aside especially to put Gavroche through school that money was to ensure your safety. And it worked, you are out of there. You can be safe now, I promise" Courfeyrac smiled

Eponine rolled her eyes. "Have you ever been told that you are too kind and too sweet for your own good?"

Courfeyrac chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment"

"Fey, you know that this is not the last time we are going to see my parents. They are going to notice that I am gone, and they are going to come looking. I got scared and I said that there would be more money, I'm sorry" Eponine sighed looking down

"Then they can have more money" Courfeyrac smiled. "It isn't a problem"

"I can't keep taking your money" Eponine replied "I don't have a job, I can't repay you"

"You will not need to repay me even when you get a job Ep" Courfeyrac said kissing her hand as they entwined their fingers. "You coming to live with us is repayment enough"


	11. Family?

**Hello again **

**Are you ready for fluff?**

Eponine had never been happier to see the café. As she stood at the entrance now, she was free, Courfeyrac was beside her and she about to see her little brother and take him home where they could be a sort of family. "Okay Eponine?" Courfeyrac asked breaking her out of her thoughts and bringing her back into the moment. She nodded walking up into the meeting room of the café beside him. She couldn't help herself looking at him, with his handsome face and boyish smile as he took the steps two at a time, bounding up into the room. She smiled to herself.

"Hey" Courfeyrac smiled walking into the room to see Jehan and Grantaire in similar positions as they had been when they left. Grantaire was still drawing, the evidence that Gavroche had been 'helping' clear from the sight of brightly coloured crayons scattered around a number of papers. Jehan was writing in his much used notebooks, various pages dog eared and tattered. It was the sight of Combeferre that was different. Courfeyrac smiled at the sight. The young doctor was reading from one of Gavroche's storybooks in a gentle tone, the tiny boy curled into his arms, clearly having just only fallen asleep.

"Afternoon" Combeferre smiled looking up and setting the book down as he adjusted Gavroche in his arms. "Did everything go alright?"

"Yes" Eponine smiled, taking in the sight of her sleeping little brother. "It was fine"

Grantaire smirked at the pair of them, standing close together, Eponine smiling back at Courfeyrac. There had to be something there between the two of them. He smiled to himself, spotting the drawing of the 'family' Gavroche had drawn earlier that day.

"Was everything here alright?" Courfeyrac smiled moving to sit beside Combeferre. "He seems pretty comfortable"

"Yes, everything was fine. He settled down once you left, he taught me how to play snap and won, which he enjoyed and he did some drawing with Taire" Combeferre smiled. "Then, as you can see, he could barely keep his eyes open so I thought it would be a good time for a nap so I read him a story and he was sound asleep in minutes"

"Thank you Ferre, he obviously enjoyed it" Courfeyrac smiled gently taking the sleeping boy. Eponine watched him with a smile on her face, watching how easy Courfeyrac made it look to move Gavroche into his arms and hold him against his chest without him stirring. He smiled, gently running his hand down the child's back and holding him close, kissing his head. "I'm glad he wasn't any trouble"

"No trouble at all" Grantaire smiled picking up the drawing "Me and him had a little talk actually"

"I don't like the sound of this" Eponine said with a cheeky smile, rolling her eyes "What sort of strange ideas have you put into my brother's head?"

"No strange ideas at all, we are talking about gossip actually" Grantaire smiled. "I asked him if he knew what was going on between you and Courfeyrac"

"Between us" Eponine said, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "There is nothing between us, what are you talking about?"

"Then why did Gavroche tell me that he saw you two sharing cuddles and sharing a bed this morning?" Grantaire smirked.

Eponine blushed scarlet, hiding her head on her hands as she sat down. "I had a bad dream that's all, and he came to comfort me and we fell asleep, that is all"

Through this exchange, Courfeyrac was struggling to keep a straight face. Of course, he thought Eponine was beautiful, but he wasn't going to say anything else on the matter. "You shouldn't put ideas into his head Grantaire, he believes anything" He said looking at the child in his arms.

"Aww, come on, it's sweet" Grantaire smiled, showing Eponine the drawing. "He drew this for you"

Eponine broke into a big smile when she saw the drawing. Three little stick figures. Her on one side with messily drawn brown hair and wearing a pink dress. He had drawn himself in the middle, stick hands holding onto the stick hands of Eponine and Courfeyrac. Bright yellow squiggles made up his blonde curls and his monkey toy was drawn sitting at his feet. Courfeyrac was also drawn with squiggled lines for his black curls. The drawing represented a little family, the family that Gavroche wanted. "Wow" Eponine smiled. "That's so cute". Carefully she folded the drawing and slid it into her pocket, hoping to stick it on the fridge when they got home. Home, it was her home now.

….

"There we go" Courfeyrac smiled lowering Gavroche into his bed for his afternoon sleep. "Sleep well little man"

He stirred as his head hit the pillow, pulling his monkey toy close as he woke. "Papa?"

"Hey Roche" Courfeyrac said sitting beside him. "Hey sleepy head, we're home now, and you need your little sleep"

Gavroche nodded, looking up just enough to see Eponine standing in the doorway. "Ponine live here now?"

"Yes I do Baby, you me and Courf" Eponine smiled coming over and kissing his head. "Just like in your picture"

He smiled cuddling up to Courfeyrac's side as he sat beside him. "And you love each other like Mr Taire said?"

"Well, you shouldn't really listen to him kiddo, he says silly things" Courfeyrac smiled. "We love you though"

Eponine nodded. "We love you so much" she smiled

With a little pout, Gavroche nodded. From what Grantaire had told him, he kind of liked the idea of Courfeyrac and Eponine being in love. In the movies, there was a mummy, a daddy and a baby. If they were in love, Courfeyrac would be the daddy, Eponine would be the mummy and he could be the baby. "I love you too" He smiled letting them both kiss his cheeks as he yawned.

"Alright little man, enough talk" Courfeyrac smiled tucking the blankets around the tiny boy. "Little people like you need their naps. When you wake up we can play with your toys, or watch a movie"

Gavroche nodded sleepily, curling up small, falling back to sleep in minutes as Eponine stroked his hair. Once he was sleeping, they left the room. "Eponine" Courfeyrac started "About what Grantaire said, and what Gavroche said, it's just Grantaire being his usual stupid self and putting ideas into Gavroche's head. You don't have to be embarrassed"

She nodded sitting beside him on the couch. "It was embarrassing when Grantaire talked about it, and Gavroche talked about if as if he wanted it to be true"

Courfeyrac nodded "He doesn't understand it like that; he just sees this as a family. Like you said me, you and him. That's all he wants. He wants you here with us all the time. It's going to be the same when he starts going to school, he will see his friends with a mom and a dad and think that he should have the same"

"Like this" Eponine smiled showing him the drawing. "Me and you, holding his hands and always being there?"

"Exactly" Courfeyrac smiled taking the drawing and sticking it on the fridge. "That's a family drawing, for sure"

Eponine nodded. "We can be a little family can't we Fey? For him?"

"Absolutely" Courfeyrac smiled "For Gavroche"

….

"I'll make dinner Eponine, you sit down" Courfeyrac smiled watching Eponine get out all of the ingredients for cheese pasta bake, Gavroche's favourite meal.

"I insist, Fey" Eponine said pouring pasta into the dish.

"Papa" Gavroche smiled walking into the kitchen and wrapping his arms around Courfeyrac's legs, laughing as the young man swung him up into his arms. "Papa, come and play airplanes"

"There you go, you can go and play airplanes with 'Roche and I'll call you both when dinner is ready" Eponine smiled.

Courfeyrac nodded, smiling as he lifted Gavroche above his head. "This is Gavroche airlines ready for take-off" He chuckled, running into the lounge holding Gavroche in the air.

The little boy held his arms out like wings and laughed wildly. "This is a bumpy ride"

"Oh no, crash landing" Courfeyrac laughed dropping down onto the couch onto his back and bringing Gavroche down with a 'crash' against his chest, tickling his sides.

Gavroche laughed, squirming in his arms and playfully pushing his hands away "Papa, no" he giggled. "Papa stop"

Courfeyrac chuckled laying him down on his chest and rubbing his back to help him get his breath back. "You silly boy" He smiled

"You the silly one papa, you tickled me and made the airplane crash with a big bang!" Gavroche laughed pressing his forehead against Courfeyrac's and kissing his nose.

"I did do that didn't I?" Courfeyrac laughed kissing his tiny nose in return and sitting up, setting him down on the floor "What do you want to do now?"

Gavroche smiled pulling a sheet of paper out of his jean pocket. "Mr 'Taire thinks 'Ponine will like this, but it has to be from you papa" he said giving him the drawing of a flower he had done earlier that day at the café. "Mr 'Taire says girls like it when boys give them flowers, and we don't have real flowers so you have to give 'Ponine this"

Courfeyrac couldn't help a blush coming to his cheeks as he kissed the child's cheek. "Thank you little man, I will give it to her"

**Please review and let me know what you thought **


	12. A plan in action

**Hello everyone! Are you ready for another fluffy chapter?**

**I must be honest and tell you all that Gavroche does not feature heavily in this chapter but he will in the next one. He helps Courfeyrac with a certain plan in this chapter, and has to be sneaky about it. Don't worry, his absence will not be long, he will get the attention in the next one. This is Eponine and Courfeyrac, I hope you enjoy it. **

Eponine couldn't remember a time that had been as good as the last week she had spent living with Courfeyrac and Gavroche. If there had been a time as good as this, it must have been many years ago when everything was alright, when they had money and they were a family. She had been there a week already and she loved it. Even though she argued about Courfeyrac insisting she sleep in his bed and he would sleep on the couch, she even offered to share Gavroche's bed if it meant Courfeyrac would get to be comfortable but he insisted. That was typical Courfeyrac. She wanted her and Gavroche to be comfortable before he was.

She loved every part of living there. She loved waking up every morning to see Courfeyrac singing along to the radio to entertain Gavroche as he made breakfast. She loved being able to see Gavroche every day and be there when he needed her there. And she loved spending time with Courfeyrac. She couldn't stop her heart from fluttering with excitement every time she was with him, smiling at him like an idiot when he kissed her cheek and laughing when he turned from the sensitive loving adult to the silly overgrown kid as he ran around the apartment in some crazy game Gavroche had made up. She wanted to be there all the time.

She didn't know nor did she understand what exactly there was between her and Courfeyrac. One could say that they simply felt comfortable enough in each other's company to relax around each other. In the evenings, after Gavroche had gone to bed, they would watch television together. She would sink against his side, her head on his shoulder with his arm around her. It felt good. She felt secure, she felt loved.

….

"Bedtime 'Roche" Eponine smiled picking up the little boy. Having spent the day at the park with her and Courfeyrac, Gavroche was more than tired. With the early dinner and cuddles with papa, the tiny boy could barely keep his eyes open. "Come on baby, let's get you to bed".

Gavroche nodded. "Okay 'Ponine, goodnight papa" he smiled leaning back down from Eponine's arms to kiss Courfeyrac's cheek, giving his papa a thumb up sign when Eponine wasn't looking. He smiled cheekily, giggling when Courfeyrac kissed his nose and ruffled his hair.

"Goodnight little man" He smiled.

Eponine smiled, carrying the child into his bedroom and gently laying him into his bed. "There we go baby" She said softly, sitting beside him and stroking his cheek. "You are such a sleepy boy"

"Story?" He smiled holding up a small children's story book.

"Are you sure you could stay awake through a story?" Eponine said with a giggle. He nodded. "Do you want Papa to read your story? You said he makes it funny"

"No" Gavroche replied with his eyes wide. He needed to keep Eponine in the room with him. "Ponine read the story, pwease"

How could she resist that? Eponine smiled taking the book and shifting to sit beside him, the boy cuddling up to her side. "Alright, alright, I'll read the story" She smiled.

….

Courfeyrac smiled to himself once he had heard Gavroche's bedroom door click shut. Now, he could put his plan into action. It had taken some work, but after a while he had managed to convince little Gavroche to go to bed early, so that him and Eponine could have dinner together once he was asleep. The trip to the local park had all been a part of the plan. That way Eponine would go along with the story that the little boy was extra tired and needed his sleep.

He used quickly grown used to having Eponine living with them in the apartment. He didn't mind sleeping on the couch if it meant that she was comfortable. He enjoyed having her there. In a way, he could not describe how he felt about Eponine. He felt as if the room lit up whenever she entered and how by living with them rather than at home, her entire world had changed. Maybe, just maybe, the princess story he had told her could finally reach its happy ever after.

As Eponine left the room to put Gavroche to bed, Courfeyrac knew that the little boy had it all under control. He would beg for a story, keeping Eponine with him for as long as possible until he fell asleep. That would give Courfeyrac enough time to set up the dinner and put the flowers in the vase. All ready. He would really have to think of something to thank the little boy for his help on the plan. He wasn't sure if he could consider the entire idea of a meal for just the two of them as romantic, but he liked it nonetheless. He really liked spending as much time as possible with Eponine; he just hoped that she loved the idea of the meal. In the time Gavroche had Eponine distracted, he set up the table for two with a delicious fish dinner and candles on the table. It looked romantic. The idea of that had Courfeyrac smiling to himself.

He grew nervous when he heard the footsteps in the hall, a sign that Gavroche had fallen asleep and Eponine had left the room. What if she didn't like it?

It was the dimmed light of the room and the gentle glow from the candle that caught Eponine's attention first. When she fully stepped into the kitchen, she saw Courfeyrac standing by the table a meal set out for the both of them. She gasped "Fey, what is this?"

"Well, I thought…" He stammered. "It would be nice for us to have a meal together, just the two of us. Grown up food, no pasta shapes and chicken nuggets"

She laughed "Grown up food indeed, Fey this looks amazing, thank you"

He blushed. He loved that she called him Fey, a loving little nick name. "I'm glad you like it"

She nodded. Eponine had never had anyone do this for her before. "It's great, honestly." She smiled. "It looks kind of romantic". She was blushing down.

Courfeyrac nodded sitting with her. Many may have described him as a ladies man, but now he was silenced. No smart chat up lines, just him. He smiled at her, tempted to say something very cliché like 'You look beautiful in the candlelight'. What was happening to him? Where was the ladies' man that women adored? He chuckled to himself, looking at her. He had to say something. "Has anyone ever told you that you are beautiful?"

Eponine looked up at with a shocked expression. "Not since I was very small, no one thinks that now. Look at me, clothes don't fit, hair is knotty all the time, and I am just plain. You've had prettier girls with their perfect hair and designer clothes throwing themselves at your feet before"

"Well… I think you're beautiful" Courfeyrac said, his confidence returning to him. "And don't call yourself plain. I happen to have a thing for brown haired, brown eyed girls. I don't care for fancy clothes and hair that takes too long to style"

Eponine blushed "You're a flirt" She giggled. "You're trying to make be blush"

Courfeyrac laughed "I am doing no such thing, can't I just compliment a girl that I think is beautiful and deserves to be told that she is"

"If we are complimenting each other let me say, I do love curly hair and dark eyes on a man" Eponine smiled looking across the table at him as she ate. "And you are a very good cook"

"I try to be a good cook" Courfeyrac smiled. "And I thought you had a thing for freckles" He added thinking of Marius Pontmercy, the young man that Eponine used to follow around like a puppy, hanging on his every word. He had a new love now, apparently, some new girl he had seen working in a local book shop.

"Freckles add character, but it is not a must on my ideal man" Eponine giggled. "Something else that adds character is big dark eyes with a cheeky light"

Courfeyrac blushed looking down. "Well my ideal women would have big brown eyes and the cutest dimples I have ever seen and hair with just enough curl that it would bounce back into place if I were to run my hands through it"

"That is very precise" Eponine giggled "I never knew you had such specific ideas for the perfect women"

"It doesn't hurt to dream does it?" Courfeyrac smiled taking a sip of wine as excitement bubbled through him. Was she describing him? Was he describing her?

"I guess not" Eponine smiled. Talk continued like this for the duration of the meal, talking until the candles had nearly completely burned out. "Now Courfeyrac" Eponine said, smiling like an idiot again. "Let me ask you one more question? Will you let me sleep on the couch tonight? I've been in your bed every night; it can't be comfortable for you sleeping on the couch"

"Nonsense, its fine" Courfeyrac replied "You can more comfortable, I don't care"

Eponine rolled her eyes at his stubbornness. "Alright then, a compromise maybe" She said "Why don't we just share the bed. It isn't like we haven't done it before"

Courfeyrac nodded, the idea seeming incredibly pleasant. Both had slept well when they had fallen asleep in each other's arms. "I think I can agree with that" He smiled. "Like you said, we have slept in the same bed before"

**Romance! **

**I really enjoyed writing this chapter, talking about their little dinner date and them trying to subtly flirt with each other. It was really fun to write! **

**I hope you liked it :D Please review and let me know what you thought**


	13. After the plan

**Hello Everybody, sorry it has taken so long to get this update up. I'm just so busy at the moment, it's all a bit chaotic. I'm trying to stay as up to date as I can **

**I hope you all like this chapter…. Fluff warning to be taken seriously here :D**

"Papa" Gavroche said sleepily as he woke in the early hours in the morning. It wasn't uncommon for him to wake once or twice during the night for a glass of water or a cuddle with his papa. Now, he picked up his treasured monkey toy and padded the short way down the corridor to Courfeyrac's bedroom, sleepy eyes nearly completely closed. Upon reaching the bedroom, he smiled. Two sleeping forms filled the bed, Eponine and Courfeyrac sleeping with their arms loosely wrapped around each other. The little boy, just wanting a cuddle and to go back to sleep, quietly climbed onto the bed and positioned himself in the small gap between the two of them as they slept. His tiny hands gripped Courfeyrac's shirt as he cuddled close, pressing himself against his papa's chest as he quickly fell back into a peaceful slumber.

It was Courfeyrac who woke first. With his eyes still closed in a moment of relaxation, his first assumption was that it was Eponine who was cuddled close to his chest. It was a pleasant thought. As he allowed his eyes to open, he realised the sleeping form curled beside him was far too small to be the girl he was sharing his bed with. He smiled, bringing his arm down to encircle the tiny boy to hold him close, and kissed the head of fair curls. "It seems we have a visitor" He whispered, seeing Eponine stir beside him.

She smiled, running a gentle hand down the child's back as he slept. "That's so cute" She said softly "He just wants to be close to you 'Fey"

"He just wants cuddles when he wakes in the night" Courfeyrac smiled, moving slowly to adjust the position of the sleeping child as he stood out of the bed. "We can let him sleep a little while longer; I'll go and make breakfast"

"Alright" Eponine smiled, wrapping her arms around Gavroche and cuddling him close. "Did I ever thank you for last night?"

"There is no need, I had a good time. We should do it again" Courfeyrac smiled, walking to the door "If you want to that is"

"Of course I do" Eponine replied, allowing herself to sink back into the pillows of the comfortable bed as she held her little brother close.

Courfeyrac smiled brightly, leaving the room to the walk to the kitchen in order to make breakfast. Eponine stayed in bed, watching Gavroche shift in his sleep as he stirred. The air around them was cold; perhaps he felt the difference in the warmth at Courfeyrac's departure from the bed. "Good morning Baby boy" She whispered, brushing his hair back and kissing his forehead.

"Morning 'Ponine" Gavroche said sleepily, wiping his eyes and burrowing closer to her. "Where papa?"

"Papa is making some breakfast for us all" Eponine smiled, sitting up and bringing Gavroche to sit on her lap. "Do you want to go and see him or stay here for more cuddles?"

Gavroche smiled, leaning his head on her shoulder. "Cuddles, Ponine cuddles"

Eponine beamed, bringing him close.

…

With a breakfast of bacon sandwiches complete, with Gavroche's having plenty of tomato sauce (it was his favourite part), Courfeyrac walked back through the small apartment to the bedroom. His heart melted at the scene that met him. Eponine sat with Gavroche sitting on her lap, tickling the little boy as he squirmed and laughed wildly. Courfeyrac smiled to himself, taking a moment to lean against the doorframe and watch the scene. This was what he wanted. This was family. Him and Eponine, whatever there was between, as stand in parents for Gavroche? Courfeyrac knew that was what Gavroche wanted, if it wasn't trains and racing cars the little boy was drawing it was them as a family. A mommy, a daddy and a baby boy. It seemed a nice idea, when he thought about it like that.

He smiled at Eponine, catching her eye. She really did look beautiful. Her hair fell in natural waves around her face, flowing down to her mid back ending with a gentle curl. Her eyes lit up when she smiled or laughed, and she had the most adorable dimples. "Breakfast is served" he said, breaking himself out of his thoughts of a perfect little family.

"Thanks Fey" Eponine smiled swinging around to sit Gavroche between the two of them as she handed him his bacon sandwich. "Saw you watching from the doorway, strange much?"

"It was such a sweet scene, I wanted to watch" Courfeyrac smiled kissing her cheek.

Gavroche smiled brightly, leaning against Courfeyrac's side. "Papa?"

"Yes little man" Courfeyrac smiled wiping the tomato sauce away from Gavroche's mouth.

"Did 'Ponine like the grown up dinner?" he smiled standing up on the bed to stand face to face with Courfeyrac

"He knew about that?" Eponine said surprised

"Of course he did the trip to the park to wear him up, the insisting on a story told by his lovely big sister" Courfeyrac smiled bouncing Gavroche up into his arms from the bed "It was all part of the plan"

"You two are so sneaky!" Eponine laughed playfully swatting Courfeyrac on the arm and ruffling Gavroche's hair.

Courfeyrac laughed "It was all worth it because you did enjoy the dinner"

She nodded, looking across to see the clock on the bedside cabinet. "Alright Roche, go get dressed" She said

Although he pouted, Gavroche nodded allowing Courfeyrac to set him down on the ground. He quickly ran out of the room towards his own bedroom, leaving Eponine and Courfeyrac behind. "You sent him out of the room as if you wanted to talk about something only adult ears can hear" Courfeyrac said

"I don't know" Eponine shrugged, moving back to sit close beside him. She smiled, taking in the cheeky glint in his dark eyes and messy curls falling like a halo around his head. "I really did like last night Fey"

"Me too, it was nice to talk between me and you" Courfeyrac smiled, trying not to allow himself to think that she was looking at his attractive features. He had to be brave in this moment. "I have one thing to ask though"

"And what would that be?" Eponine asked

"When we were talking about what we look for in somebody, you were talking about dark hair and dark eyes, and you looked right at me when you said about a cheeky glint in the eye" Courfeyrac said trying not to fumble over his own words. "The thing is, I couldn't help but think that you were describing me"

Eponine blushed dark red now, looking down before looking back at him. He looked so hopeful. "Then you described dark hair and dark eyes, and hair that curled just enough to bounce back" She said, running her hand through her own hair to demonstrate that her curls did bounce back. "And dimples, you always say I have dimples. Were you describing me?"

Courfeyrac bit his lip, looking at her sitting opposite him. It had spent years taking chances, and this was one of those times where he had to take a chance. With a boyish grin, he placed his hands on his cheeks and nodded. "Yes I was" He smiled, leaning in to plant a gentle and loving kiss on his lips.

She was shocked at first, but quickly found herself kissing his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. As they pulled apart she smiled. "You were right Fey, I was describing you"

….

Gavroche had gone to bed an hour before, settled into his blankets. Eponine and Courfeyrac now sat curled together on the couch, watching a movie. Her head was pressed against his collarbone, he was stroking her hair. Occasional kisses were shared. It was simple, perfect and real. So lost in their own little world, neither Eponine nor Courfeyrac heard the tiny footsteps or saw the two big blue eyes witnessing a sweet kiss.

"Mr Taire was right"

Both of them turned at the same moment, seeing Gavroche standing at the side of the couch holding his monkey toy close. "What was that Gavroche?" Eponine asked

"You were kissing, what does that mean?" Gavroche asked innocently, sleepily tilting his head to one side.

Whilst Eponine was blushing too much to piece together a sentence, Courfeyrac chuckled and picked up the boy sitting his on his lap. "Well you see little man"

**There we go, it's official! **

**The next chapter will begin with a flashback featuring a certain three little words **** Can you guess what words they are?**


	14. Family

**Hello again, sorry it has taken so long to me to finally update. I am trying to keep on top of things. I do have five stories on the go at the moment, and I am trying my hardest to keep them all up to date. Everything is a little bit chaotic at the moment, as I am working two jobs, not leaving a lot of time for writing. But I really do try to keep writing because it is so relaxing to write.**

**Right, here we go, are you ready for the fluff? This chapter is split into multiple parts. **

"_Courfeyrac" Eponine smiled, cupping his face in her hands. "You are so wonderful" _

_He blushed, bringing her closer to lay a gentle kiss on her lips. "I have to be brave here and just come out and say it" _

"_Say what?" Eponine giggled_

"_I love you" Courfeyrac smiled "And I think I have since I first got to know you. It was one of the reasons I came out and said I would go and get Gavroche for you. I couldn't bear to see you so terribly upset" _

_Eponine looked up at him with her eyes wide with awe. "Fey, my Fey" She smiled kissing him softly. "I love you too, if only I had noticed your love sooner, perhaps I wouldn't have spent so much time following Marius around wishing for him to notice me" _

"_That is the past, my 'Ponine" Courfeyrac smiled "It's you and me now, and we can make this perfect little family. That is all I was thinking about when I watched you with Gavroche this morning, a family. That is what I want, you, me and our little man" _

….

"Well Gavroche" Courfeyrac smiled holding him close as he made sure his little blanket was covering him. "I was kissing 'Ponine because I love her"

"Like when you kiss me because you love me daddy" Gavroche said sweetly tilting his head back to look at Courfeyrac better and giggling when Courfeyrac kissed his tiny button nose.

"Sort of like that, yes" Courfeyrac chuckled. "Me and Eponine are together now"

Gavroche, his brow furrowed in concentration, thought for a moment before laughing suddenly, looking from Courfeyrac to Eponine. "Mr Taire was right!"

Courfeyrac, taking a moment to remember the conversation with the smirking Grantaire, laughed leaning back to swing an arm around Eponine's shoulders. "Yes, I guess he was"

"Yay" Gavroche smiled, pressing a kiss to Courfeyrac's cheek then doing the same to Eponine before jumping down from his lap running to the kitchen.

"What are you doing little man?" Courfeyrac said curiously

"If you and 'Ponine loves each other, that means that it's like this" Gavroche said running back to them in the lounge, holding up his drawing of them as a little family

"Yes baby, we are like that, if you want us to be" Eponine smiled picking up the tiny boy to bring him back into the cuddle.

He nodded, beaming.

…

"So this has to be perfect" Eponine said, looking over her shoulder back into the lounge to check that little Gavroche was not eavesdropping.

"And it will be, I will make sure of it" Courfeyrac smiled, looking up from his laptop as he searched for the perfect party decorations.

"It's just, he's never had a birthday party before, and it will be so exciting for him" Eponine smiled.

"It will be perfect" Courfeyrac said. "Don't worry. The Amis have agreed to help, there will be decorations of cars, trains planes. Everything Roche loves. And I am sure that Gavroche will be buried under a mountain of new toys"

Eponine smiled. "He's going to love it"

"I will make sure that it is the best fifth birthday party ever, in the history of birthday parties" Courfeyrac smiled kissing her cheek. "What are we going to get him?"

"Toys, he loves them so much. He never got them when he was younger, so it feels right to spoil him" Eponine smiled playfully throwing her arms around him.

"So we're playing that game now" He chuckled swinging her up into his arms over his shoulder and carrying her through to the lounge, 'dropping' her onto the couch "you little troublemaker, you're just as bad as your brother"

"I'm not a troublemaker daddy, I'm good" Gavroche said looking at the pair of them.

"You are a cheeky monkey" Courfeyrac laughed picking him up. "Do you know what day it is next week buddy?"

"Next week, next week daddy, I'll be five!" Gavroche smiled holding up a hand to show five fingers. "Five years old daddy!"

"Yes you will little man" Courfeyrac smiled bouncing him in his arms. "You'll be the man of the house in no time at all"

…

"Happy Birthday Dear Gavroche" They sang "Happy Birthday to you"

Gavroche, the birthday boy, smiled brightly blowing out the five candles, spelling out Roche. Joly's girlfriend Musichetta had made the cake. Chocolate favoured (of course), shaped like a train and covered in sweets. Gavroche thought it was the best thing ever and just wanted to eat it.

"We can have some cake later sweetie" Eponine smiled ruffling his hair. "Now it's time for presents"

"I get presents?" Gavroche smiled looking up at her.

"What sort of birthday would it be if my favourite little man didn't get any presents" Courfeyrac smiled kneeling beside him holding out a present.

"Thank you daddy" Gavroche said, opening the present to reveal a new train for his track set. More presents came, ranging from new toys to new clothes.

"And there is one more present" Grantaire said with a smile. "But it's outside, come on then"

"Let's go Mr Taire!" Gavroche jumping from his chair onto the young man's back. Grantaire, as he promised sober for the day, laughed, holding the boy and adjusting the party hat on his hand carried him out to the shared garden of the apartment building. "What's that Mr Taire?" Gavroche asked pointing forwards.

"That, buddy, is your present" Grantaire smiled as Courfeyrac lifted Gavroche off his back. "It's a trampoline"

"It's fun little man" Courfeyrac smiled lifting him on to the play equipment. "See, bounce"

Looking confused, Gavroche nodded as he moved back into the springy fabric beginning to jump. He broke into a huge smile. "Jumpy" He laughed

"Do you like it Gavroche?" Grantaire smiled leaning against the side of the trampoline.

"It's better than jumping on daddy's bed!" Gavroche laughed bouncing up and down.

"Good luck getting him off of it fey" Eponine giggled, watching her little brother. "Thanks Taire, he loves it"

**And there we have it, was that cute enough for you?**

**Sorry it's so short; I just wanted to get something updated. The next chapter will be longer, I promise. **

**Please review and let me know what you think?**


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